Overlapping emergencies in the Horn of Africa has left no time for recovery in-between shocks
(Nairobi, Kenya, 19 January 2007)
- Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa are currently experiencing numerous simultaneous crises and humanitarian emergencies, many of them crossing or spilling over borders between the three countries.
These natural and man-made emergencies - drought, floods, Polio, the conflict in Somalia as well as their direct consequences in the form of water-borne diseases, Rift Valley Fever, and displacement - have broken out in rapid succession as layer upon layer of threats to people's life, health, and livelihoods and with disastrous humanitarian consequences.
"The cumulative impact on people's lives of this string of overlapping crises in the region can hardly be overstated", Margareta Wahlström, acting Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations, said today.
"Thousands are displaced by recent flooding and conflict in Somalia, Rift Valley Fever is taking its toll in terms of human lives and loss of livelihoods in Kenya, and Acute Watery Diarrhea is spreading in Ethiopia. Some of the areas worst affected by this multitude of crises are also practically inaccessible for humanitarian workers", she added referring to flooding, closure of borders, and generalized insecurity.
Beginning with the Horn of Africa drought in late 2005 that decimated livestock and stretched resources in the mainly pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities in north-eastern Kenya, south Somalia, and southern Ethiopia to the limit, the extreme weather crisis changed character with the heavy flooding in the second half of 2006 with an epicenter covering roughly the same areas. The drought affected some 7 million people, the floods at least 1.5 million of the samepeople.
In December 2006, the fighting in Somalia and simultaneous outbreak of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in Kenya, now feared to be spreading into Somalia, further exacerbated the already grave situation. The train of disasters has left little or no time for recovery in between shocks, and the consequences on food security and livelihoods are likely to be severe.
Mapping the various crises in the region has revealed concentration of problems in certain areas: Access to flood and conflict affected people in south Somalia has been severely restricted due to on-going fighting and destroyed transport networks and local farmers and herders are unable to attend their fields and livestock. Kenyan pastoralist are faced with disease control measures and closure of markets due to Rift Valley Fever that will further exacerbate their food insecurity and in Ethiopia Acute Watery Diarrhea which has already killed 556 is spreading to the flood-affected Somali region bordering Somalia.
Rift Valley Fever which has killed at least 95 people in Kenya (as of 15th January) is also suspected to be spreading rapidly into inaccessible areas in Somalia while a yet undiagnosed fatal camel disease is suspected to have crossed the border between the Somali Region of Ethiopia and conflict-affected Hiran and Gedo regions in Somalia.
In Somalia, access to an estimated 4,700 Somali conflict IDPs in urgent need of assistance in Dobley across the border from Kenya is denied. However, WFP food rations have been distributed through a local NGO targeting 1000 IDPs and 12,000 Dobley residents.
The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated funds to life-saving assistance for a total amount of US$ 57.6 million (Ethiopia US$ 9.9m, Kenya US$ 31m, Somalia US$ 16.6m) up till now.
However, the complexity of the overlapping emergencies requires additional, timely funding from available sources with a view to sustained humanitarian assistance and early recovery.