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 #3, Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 June 21, 200
Numbers Affected - According to the United Nations (UN), approximately 10 million people are currently affected by the drought in Ethiopia. - The UN states that an estimated 335,000 people are affected by the drought in Eritrea. In addition, the Eritrean Relief and Refugee Commission (ERREC) estimates that more than 1 million people are currently displaced in Eritrea due to the recent fighting with Ethiopia. - The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that it has registered approximately 85,000 new Eritrean refugees in eastern Sudan since the outbreak of hostilities with Ethiopia on May 12. Current Situation - Drought in Ethiopia - Weather: The main Kiremt rains have begun in the west of the country, and are spreading eastward. Normal to above-normal rainfall is predicted for the northwest, west, and central areas Ethiopia. Normal to below-normal precipitation is forecast for the northeast, east, and southern portions of the country. The overall affect, should forecasts prove correct, is expected to be favorable for the main harvest. - Despite recent improvements in coordination of food distribution, some of the main constraints to distribution are continued high land transportation rates, competing interests (e.g. use of trucks to transport fertilizer or other commodities), and poor communication and tracking between primary and secondary distribution points. Nevertheless, food stocks are currently being pre-positioned in Amhara, Tigray, and Southern People's (SNNPR) regions. - Somali Region (southern Ethiopia): According to recent interagency assessments, all nine zones in the Somali region are suffering the effects of the drought. Findings indicate that Afder zone is the most affected area in the region and suffers from irregular food distribution and a deterioration of the condition of livestock. Distribution in the zone has been constrained by transport difficulties, but roads in the area are now reportedly passable. - Various relief organizations report that the number of beneficiaries in central feeding centers in Somali region continues to increase as most vulnerable groups reach relief centers. However, the organizations also report that food distributions in the region, currently targeting an estimated population of 1.3 million, have improved over the past several weeks. - Oromiya Region: CARE reports a recent increase in the number of people crossing the border from Kenya into Borena zone. However, at this point it is unclear whether or not this is a normal migration pattern. - Based on a recent assessment of areas in Somali and Oromiya regions, pastoralists have been particularly affected by the drought through substantial losses of livestock. Although pasture conditions have recently improved, animal restocking is not the best option for recovery in these areas due to over-grazing and over-stocking of livestock. - Tigray Region (northern Ethiopia): According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), distributions of food for an estimated population of 44,600 persons displaced in the region by the war with Eritrea began on June 2. The total number of intended beneficiaries in the region should receive food assistance by the end of this month. Current Situation - Border Conflict - A proposal for a peace agreement sponsored by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) was signed in Algiers on June 18. The proposal includes plans for the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force along the contested Ethiopian/Eritrean border. - The movement of populations in Eritrea continues, particularly in the western lowlands around Tesseney. - According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), nearly 245,000 Eritreans are currently in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Thousands more are either living with host communities or grouped informally in areas close to streams or bushes with no access to basic necessities. - Based on assessments of some of the IDP camps located south of Asmara, more people continue to move into the camps, thus increasing the needs for shelter, clean water, sanitation facilities, food, and non-food commodities. - The rainy season is expected to start within the coming weeks. Many relief organizations fear that the rains will hinder access to many populations and camps, lead to outbreaks of malaria, and increase the risk of contamination of water sources and ensuing water-borne diseases. - According to local officials in the sub-zone, Adi-Keyh, this year's growing season is currently in jeopardy as people flee areas with continued shelling and are unable to prepare their fields. OCHA reports that much of the recent fighting has taken place in Eritrea's "bread basket," which accounts for 75 percent of national grain production. - An official from the Eritrean Ministry of Health (MOH) states that some health clinics in affected areas are currently servicing up to 40 times the number of patients considered as full capacity. In addition, approximately 3 hospitals and 40 health clinics have reportedly been damaged or destroyed in the fighting. 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 702,200 tons valued at more than $288 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 $11.7 million to fund emergency water/sanitation, agricultural, health, nutrition, and logistical support programs in Ethiopia. - USAID/OFDA recently approved additional funding of $252,950 to Save the Children Fund (SCF)/US and $346,683 to Concern Worldwide for expansion of their nutrition and water programs in Somali and SNNPR regions respectively. - USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) in Ethiopia continues to monitor the drought conditions and relief efforts. From June 8-12, the USAID/DART Leader traveled to Djibouti to assess port operations and evaluate USAID/OFDA-funded programs. USAID/Addis Ababa plans to increase its number of field monitors to 6 by the end of June. A USAID/DART Senior Field Officer and USAID/FFP Officer are working with USAID/Addis Ababa's monitors to effectively evaluate drought conditions and report findings. Eritrea - Emergency Food Aid: USAID/FFP and USDA plan to provide a total of 60,500 tons of emergency food commodities to populations affected by war and drought in Eritrea. This food assistance is valued at approximately $14 million. - On June 12, 6,586 tons of USG emergency food arrived at the port of Massawa for distribution to war- affected populations. - Non-Food Relief Activities: In FY 2000 to date, USAID/OFDA has provided approximately $3.4 million in assistance to populations displaced by war and drought in Eritrea. USAID/OFDA is currently considering additional support for emergency programs in Eritrea. - On June 7, USAID/OFDA deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to Eritrea to assist in the coordination of the USG response to the humanitarian crisis. The DART, in collaboration with the Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE), the US Embassy, USAID/Asmara, and the international relief community, is currently assessing the condition of affected populations and making recommendations for USG response activities. Relief Efforts Ethiopia - As part of the UN's appeal for the Horn of Africa, on June 14, the UN Country Team launched a special appeal for $193.4 million to address the immediate needs of 10 million people affected by the drought in Ethiopia. - Reports indicate that as of June 15, 417,237 tons of food aid destined for Ethiopia had arrived at the port of Djibouti. In addition, 120,637 tons have been purchased locally and 3,174 tons have arrived via air transport. - The National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC) recently increased its daily capacity to transport food from the port of Djibouti to Ethiopia's primary hubs to 4,175 tons per day. An additional 108 long-haul trucks reportedly arrived in Djibouti last week to transport food, and WFP plans to lease more long-haul and short-haul trucks in the coming weeks. The DPPC has also placed trucks in Dire Dawa to transport food to Somali region. - Currently, 150 trucks are transporting food donated by the European Union from the port in Berbera (Somalia) to Somali region. A monthly average of 15,000-18,000 tons of food is expected to arrive in the port of Berbera through September. - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reports that it has just started its second round of food distributions to an estimated population of 185,000 people in Gode, Afder, Degehabur, and Fik zones. Eritrea - On June 9, the GSE launched an appeal for nearly $183 million to meet the needs of 1.6 million people affected by war and drought or urban poverty through the remainder of the year 2000. Major emergency needs outlined in the appeal included food aid, temporary shelter and household items, safe water, health and nutrition initiatives, and improved sanitation facilities and practices to help prevent diseases. - On June 9, UNHCR began airlifts to provide relief supplies such as blankets, jerry cans, plastic sheeting, tents, and water pipes to displaced populations in the western lowlands of Gash-Barka region. - The Eritrean MOH, in collaboration with several NGOs, plans to establish mobile health clinics to provide basic health care to populations isolated from permanent health facilities. The MOH also plans to provide personal hygiene education to displaced populations in order to stem diseases resulting from lack of proper sanitation practices and facilities. 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 current situation is exacerbated by the border conflict between Ethiopia and 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. 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 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 $803,053 COOPI Water Oromiya $346,004 ICRC Nutrition Somali $1,000,000 IRC Water Somali $590,933 SCF/UK Water/Nutrition Somali $1,357,712 SCF/US Water/Nutrition Somali $845,527 UNDP-EUE Monitoring/Coordination Ethiopia $150,000 UNICEF Airlift of biscuits and therapeutic milk Somali $205,291 WFP Airlift of biscuits Somali $216,000 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 $339,561 Total USAID/OFDA $11,696,918 USAID/FFP and USDA N/A Food Assistance All affected regions $288,968,022* Total USG - ETHIOPIA $300,664,940 ERITREA USAID/OFDA USAID/Asmara Airlift/Non-food Commodities $235,834 WFP Airlift $330,000 USAID/Asmara Cooking sets 50,000 UNICEF Nutrition and Water/Sanitation Gash-Barka region $1,500,000 UNDP Shelter/Commodities $984,710 ICRC Airlifts/Commodities $280,000 Administrative costs $15,000 Total USAID/OFDA $3,395,544 USAID/FFP and USDA N/A $13,995,398 Total USG - ERITREA $17,390,942 * 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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -