Horn of Africa Drought Crisis Factsheet 26 July 2011

OCHA declared a corporate emergency on 20 July 2011. This factsheet summarises the main OCHA activities related to the crisis in the Horn of Africa and will be issued on a weekly basis until further notice.

Operations

Established OCHA presence in Horn of Africa

■ OCHA has 153 staff working in Country and Field Offices across the Eastern Africa region, of which 42 are international and 105 are national personnel. In addition, six editors from OCHA’s humanitarian news service IRIN work specifically on the Horn of Africa.

■ OCHA has field presences in the Horn of Africa in Nairobi and Dadaab (Kenya), Mogadishu, Belet Xaawo, Bossaso, Hargeysa, Galkacyo, and Garowe (Somalia), and Addis Ababa, Jijiga, Kebri Dehar, and Gode (Ethiopia), and Asmara (Eritrea).

Strengthening OCHA presence for Horn of Africa crisis

■ In June 2011, OCHA appointed a new, senior (D1) Regional Head of Office for OCHA’s activities in the Horn. Previously falling under the Regional Office in Southern Africa, the new Regional Office for Eastern Africa will provide guidance, leadership and coordination to humanitarian response efforts across the region.

■ Two additional Humanitarian Affairs Officers (HAOs) have been deployed to assist teams on reporting and analysis to better support OCHA’s advocacy, with a further two deployed to assist with regional cluster coordination. An ‘appeals expert’ has been deployed to support the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) for Somalia, Mr. Mark Bowden, in coordinating the emergency revision of requirements/emergency revision of the CAP (appeal).

■ Four HAOs are being deployed to support the Somalia team on needs assessments, and coordination and analysis in both Mogadishu and Nairobi.