U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR) OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA) ETHIOPIA/ERITREA - Humanitarian Crisis Fact Sheet #2, Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 June 7, 2000
Numbers Affected - According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), approximately 10 million people are currently affected by the drought in Ethiopia. - OCHA states that an estimated 335,000 people are affected by the drought in Eritrea. The Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE) has indicated that this number may be as high as 458,000. In addition, various sources indicate that between 550,000 and 800,000 people are displaced in Eritrea as a result of renewed fighting with Ethiopia. - Press reports indicate that UNHCR had registered approximately 55,000 Eritrean refugees in Sudan as of June 6. Current Situation - Drought in Ethiopia - Weather: In a May 31 report, the GFDRE's National Meteorological Services Agency forecasted normal to above-normal rainfall levels in the northwest, west, and central areas of the country during the main rainy season (June to September). Rainfall levels are expected to be normal to below-normal in the northeast, east, and certain southern parts of Ethiopia. If these forecasts prove correct, the main harvest should be good. - Somali Region (southern Ethiopia): According to Action Contre La Faim (ACF), the nutritional status of patients in its feeding centers in Korahai zone (Somali region) is improving. Admission rates to the centers are also declining, with 74 beneficiaries as of May 23 compared to 92 on May 17. ACF also reports, however, that the long-term food security and water situations in the area have not significantly improved. - As of May 28, Save the Children Fund (SC)/US reported an average admission rate of 26 children per day to its supplementary feeding centers (SFCs), which are already treating approximately 3,500 children, located in Gode zone. - Relief agencies have identified parts of Gode, Fik, and Shinile zones as the priority areas. Several of these agencies are planning nutrition and water programs in these areas to combat the recent decline in nutritional status. However, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)/Belgium, who is implementing supplementary and therapeutic feeding in Denan district (Gode zone), reports improvement since March in malnutrition rates in the district based on a retrospective survey. The USAID/DART plans to evaluate the historical malnutrition figures for this area provided by MSF/B. - The security situation in some areas of Somali region is reportedly deteriorating due to increased tension amongst clans. Relief agencies stressed the need to target aid equitably to clans to avoid further deterioration of the situation. - Southern People's Region: According to NGOs working in Southern People's (SNNPR) region, global malnutrition rates in certain areas of Welayita are estimated at more than 26 percent, indicative of a serious situation. Concern Worldwide estimates that 10 percent of malnourished children in its feeding centers have developed kwashiorkor, a disease stemming from an acute deficiency of protein. - Tigray Region (northern Ethiopia): WFP reports that the security situation in the regional capital, Mekele, has improved. WFP plans to re-deploy its food aid monitors to the area as soon as possible. WFP plans to distribute more than 5,000 tons of food aid to internally displaced populations in the region. - Since the arrival of emergency assistance to populations along the Ethiopian-Kenyan border, the UN is reportedly concerned over a potential influx of refugees into Ethiopia from Turkana district, Kenya's most drought-affected region. USAID/OFDA is currently monitoring this situation. Current Situation - Border Conflict - Although reports indicate that fighting in certain border areas continues, a new round of peace talks between Ethiopia and Eritrea began on May 30 in Algiers under the auspices of the Organization for African Unity (OAU). No breakthroughs from these talks have yet been reported. - The food security situation in Eritrea is expected to deteriorate due to significant losses in agriculture and livestock and displacement of farmers. The major losses are in the Gash-Barka region from Barentu west to Tesseney and south to Omhajer. - Although people have informally gathered in places near shade and water, high temperatures have minimized the availability of both necessities. As a result, large displaced populations are currently exposed to the elements with limited access to water and sanitation facilities. An earlier donor assessment of camps near Zerom, approximately 23 km north of Keren, found similar conditions and needs. Priority needs of displaced populations identified by donors include shelter, cooking sets, blankets, water storage and purification equipment, and basic health care for women and children. Food reserves and distribution vary throughout the displaced populations, but in general, people left their homes with approximately 2-3 weeks of food stocks. - Although access to people in the Gash-Barka region is currently good, the upcoming rainy season may impede future relief efforts. The potential for water-borne diseases and malaria may increase as rainwater fills sources littered with debris and excrement. - Based on a May 23-25 joint assessment of western Gash-Barka region (Eritrea) conducted by the Eritrean Relief and Refugee Commission (ERREC), Oxfam, and several UN agencies, displaced populations are still on the move due to the continued fighting. Conservative estimates from the assessment team indicate more than 270,000 persons displaced in Eritrea in areas along the Sudanese border. U.S. Government Response Ethiopia - Emergency Food Aid: Total planned emergency food assistance for Ethiopia through USAID's Office of Food For Peace (FFP) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) equals 605,510 tons valued at more than $240 million. (An additional 61,000 tons are planned to support ongoing development programs in the country, bringing the total of USG food assistance to Ethiopia for this fiscal year to $279.1 million.) - Non-Food Relief Activities: In fiscal year (FY) 2000 to date, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) has committed an estimated $11 million to fund emergency water/sanitation, health, nutrition, and logistical support programs in Ethiopia. - On May 27-28, members from USAID/Addis Ababa and the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) assessed current humanitarian operations and USAID-funded programs in Dire Dawa and Gode and Imi (Somali region). A DART field officer is currently assessing the situation in Somali and Oromiya regions and will report his findings soon. - USAID/OFDA is deploying a Nutritionist from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to work with UNICEF, the DPPC, and other relief agencies on coordination of nutrition interventions. - On May 30, USAID and the European Community's Humanitarian Office (ECHO) hosted a meeting with NGOs and international organizations to share and address coordination issues. Eritrea - Emergency Food Aid: USAID/FFP and USDA plan to provide a total of 50,500 tons of food commodities to populations affected by war and drought in Eritrea. This food assistance is valued at approximately $14 million. - Non-Food Relief Activities: USAID/OFDA has committed $1.5 million to UNICEF for the provision of supplementary feeding to children under five and pregnant or lactating women. The program will also perform nutritional monitoring and provide access to safe water and sanitation facilities for an estimated 250,000 displaced persons. - This week, USAID/OFDA committed $950,000 to UNDP for the provision of shelter materials and other relief commodities to displaced populations. - USAID/OFDA is providing $280,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to support 8 airlifts of medical, water, sanitation, and shelter supplies. - USAID/OFDA has provided approximately $3.3 million in FY 2000 to date in response to the needs of displaced populations in Eritrea. USAID/OFDA is currently considering additional support for emergency programs in Eritrea. Relief Efforts Ethiopia - The European Union (EU) has announced plans to support part of WFP's proposal for an air bridge. As previously reported, USAID/OFDA is also supporting this proposal. - According to relief organizations in Somali region, coordination of trucks through the GFDRE's Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC) Transportation Committee has improved in the past two weeks. According to WFP, the total amount of food dispatched from all primary transport hubs is currently averaging 3,500 tons per day. - As of May 30, the total amount of food available in the GFDRE's Food Security Reserves, in part as a result of recent USG repayments to the stocks, stood at approximately 105,539 tons. Eritrea - According to a situation report from the UN Development Programme's (UNDP) Resident Coordinator in Eritrea, WFP reported distribution of approximately 79 tons of high-energy biscuits and 45 tons of wheat flour to war-displaced populations as of May 29. - UNDP also reports that, according to UNICEF, approximately $5.3 million has been pledged in CY 2000 to date towards the UN appeals for the drought and complex emergency in Eritrea. - On June 6, the European Commission announced plans to provide an additional 20,000 tons of cereals to WFP for Eritreans displaced by war and drought in Eritrea and Sudan. With the announcement of this additional food aid, the total amount of cereals allocated to Eritrea this year by the European Union (EU) equals 65,400 tons. Background - As a result of three years of drought conditions, an estimated 16 million people are currently at risk of food insecurity in the Horn of Africa. An estimated drought-affected population of 10 million is located in Ethiopia and 335,000-458,000 people in Eritrea. The situation is exacerbated by the border conflict with Eritrea that began in May 1998, but has continued with periodic eruptions of violence. The most recent outbreak of fighting began on May 12, 2000. Large populations have been displaced in both countries as a result of the ongoing conflict. - Constraints to relief efforts in Ethiopia continue to be poor tracking of food aid distribution, security concerns, inaccessibility to certain areas, and minimal coordination. U.S. Government Assistance - The following table summarizes USG funding to date in response to the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Country USG Agency Implementing Partner (if applicable) Project/Sector Region (if applicable) Dollar Amount ETHIOPIA USAID/OFDA ACF Water/Nutrition Somali $664,103 American Red Cross Nutrition Amhara $473,811 CARE Water/Livestock Oromiya $879,887 CISP Water Oromiya $332,589 Concern Worldwide Water/Nutrition SNNPR $456,370 COOPI Water Oromiya $346,004 ICRC Nutrition Somali $1,000,000 IRC Water Somali $590,933 SCF/UK Water/Nutrition Somali $905,445SCF/UK Nutrition Amhara $452,267 SCF/US Water Somali $592,577 UNDP-EUE Monitoring/Coordination Ethiopia $150,000 USAID/Addis Ababa Air Transport N/A $47,600 USAID/Addis Ababa In-kind Contributions Somali $340,291 WFP Airlift Somali $81,000 WFP Port Improvements Djibouti $600,000 WFP Road Rehabilitation Djibouti $1,750,000 World Vision Agriculture Amhara $330,447 UNDP Port Improvements Somalia $308,000 UNICEF Health $504,000 Administrative Costs N/A $291,961 Total USAID/OFDA $11,097,285 USAID/FFP and USDA N/A Food Assistance All affected regions $242,570,022* Total USG - ETHIOPIA $253,667,307 ERITREA USAID/OFDA USAID/Asmara Airlift/Non-food Commodities $242,834 WFP Airlift $330,000 USAID/Asmara Cooking sets 50,000 UNICEF Nutrition and Water/Sanitation Gash-Barka region $1,500,000 UNDP Shelter/Commodities $950,000 ICRC Airlifts/Commodities $280,000 Total USAID/OFDA $3,352,834 USAID/FFP and USDA N/A $13,995,398 Total USG - ERITREA $17,348,232 * This dollar figure represents emergency food assistance designated for both drought and war-affected/displaced victims, but does not include additional food aid planned for this year to support development programs (valued at $36,551,500). Public Donation Information - In the interest of effective coordination of public response, we encourage concerned citizens to provide monetary donations to appropriate organizations. USAID encourages the public to contact directly those private voluntary organizations (PVOs) currently working in the region to provide monetary donations. A list of relevant PVOs may be obtained from the USAID web site (www.info.usaid.gov). The list is composed of PVOs that are registered with USAID and/or listed by InterAction, a coalition of voluntary humanitarian and development organizations that work overseas. Information can also be obtained via InterAction's web site at www.interaction.org. Those interested in providing specific technical services or commodities should contact Volunteers in Technical Assistance's (VITA) Disaster Information Center for information and guidelines at (703) 276-1914. distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -