OCHA Situation Report No. 8
Ethiopia
9 October 2003


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Improving Coordination and  Humanitarian Response in Parts of SNNPR
                Assessment mission: 22 - 25 September 2003
       By Dr. Wolde-Selassie Abbute, Field Officer, UN OCHA Ethiopia

1. Introduction and background

UN OCHA Ethiopia field mission conducted a short follow up assessment on
the progress of coordination and humanitarian response activities in
Dawuro, Gurage, Hadiya, Kambata-Tambaro, and Silte Zones. In the mean
time, the assessor facilitated Emergency Partners Coordination Forum
meetings in Dawuro and Gurage Zones. The mission was carried out from 22
to 25 September 2003. The overall emergency coordination in information
exchange and decision-making has been substantially enhanced alongside
improving humanitarian responses in the areas visited.

2. Mission findings

2.1 Dawuro Zone

Loama and Genna Bosa Woredas of the zone did have serious warehousing
problems and in certain cases offices and schools were used for storing
aid food. Recently, WFP responded to this serious problem by providing two
Rubb Halls for both woredas. The one for Loama is erected at Gessa, the
administrative center of the woreda. The other for Genna Bosa is not yet
erected due to the on-going rains at the time of the visit, which
constrained to transport the Rubb Hall to its intended location inside the
woreda. The beneficiary figures were updates based on field assessments
and enhanced coordination among emergency coordination partners.

2.2 Kambata-Tambaro Zone

All the woredas in the zone are affected by the current crisis. Based on
empirical field assessments and coordinated efforts of the emergency
partners, humanitarian response has improved. In addition to the improved
needy figures, two Therapeutic Feeding Centres (TFCs) were opened in
Omo-Sheleko and Kadida-Gamela Woredas to treat the severely malnourished
children. The third TFC is in the process of opening at Angacha Woreda.
Significant improvement has been achieved in the humanitarian response and
information exchange due to the consolidated coordination efforts of the
partner agencies.

2.3 Hadiya Zone

The zone is one of the worst affected livestock disease areas,
particularly African Horse Sickness and Lump Skin. Despite moderate
subsiding, Lump Skin disease still persists. The zone has also been badly
hit by hailstorm, heavy rain and flooding damages. Nevertheless, there has
been substantial improvement in the humanitarian situation updates and
response. Information exchange among partners at different levels has
begun showing improvement. Agencies were strengthening closer monitoring
through field assessments at detected hotspots. UN OCHA Ethiopia conducted
an assessment in Shashogo Woreda, FAO has undertaken an assessment on
livestock diseases and crop performance, and UNICEF assigned a full time
field monitor to the zone. The latter has been extending multiple supports
to the zonal Disaster Prevention & Preparedness (DPP) desk by organizing
joint visits to affected areas as well as consolidating minutes of
emergency partners' coordination forum meetings.

2.4 Silte Zone

Project Mercy significantly improved its efforts and solved most of the
multiple problems that used to exist in the over all operational standards
of the Dalocha TFC. In the meantime, the Regional Health and Nutrition
Task Force immediately responded to the reported severe malnutrition case
in Sankura Woreda. A team composed of members from UNICEF, Save the
Children USA (SC-US), the Regional Health Bureau, and Action Contre la
Faim (ACF) jointly conducted a rapid assessment in the woreda. The result
of the assessment asserted the prevalence of malnutrition but not too
severe as reported by the woreda. Hence, the problem can be addressed by
improving supplementary food distribution and providing immediate food
ration to the 12,995 needy people who are not yet included in the
beneficiary list. Information exchange and coordination among emergency
partners in the zone improved.

2.5 Gurage Zone

There is better flow of humanitarian situation updates among emergency
partners in the zone. Severe emergency problem reported prevailing in
Meskan Woreda.  There is a serious malnutrition problem in kebeles, which
are not included in the relief food beneficiary list. A total of 9,870
needy people are not yet able to get access to food aid. Supplementary
food shortage was also noted due to lack of enough stock. Project Mercy,
an NGO operating in emergency relief in the area, and the local government
line departments stressed a need to conduct a nutrition survey in order to
understand the status of malnutrition and improvements so far. The
admission rate to the TFCs is stated to be decreasing, indicting certain
improvements. In the affected areas of the zone, malaria threat is
increasing though it is endemic to the lowlands.

3. Conclusions and recommendations

The formation and facilitation of 'emergency partners coordination
meetings' at regional, zonal, and special woreda levels by the
UNCTSO-Awassa has contributed a great deal in the institutionalisation of
coordination structures in information exchange and decision-making as
well as in the enhancement of humanitarian responses. Therefore, these
institutionalised coordination forums should be strengthened in order to
effectively synchronize the efforts of all relevant partners so as to
address efficiently the currently persisting humanitarian crisis in the
region.

Abbreviations

|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|ACF     |Action Contre la Faim                                         |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|DPPC    |Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (Federal      |
|        |Government level)                                             |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|DPPB    |Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Bureau (Regional level)  |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|DPPD    |Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Department (Zonal level) |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|FAO     |Food and Agricultural Organisation                            |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|NGO     |Non-Governmental-Organisation                                 |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|SC-US   |Save the Children Fund United States                          |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|TFC     |Therapeutic Feeding Centre                                    |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|UNCT    |United Nations Country Team                                   |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|UNCT SO |United Nations Country Team Support Office                    |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|UNDP    |United Nations Development Programme                          |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|UNICEF  |United Nations Children Fund                                  |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|UN OCHA |United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs|
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|
|WFP     |World Food Programme                                          |
|--------+--------------------------------------------------------------|



DISCLAIMER

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this
document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the UN
concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its
authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or
boundaries.

UN OCHA
PO Box 60252
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia

Tel.: (251) (1) 51-37-25
Fax: (251) (1) 51-12-92
E-mail: un-eue@un.org

Web Sites:
www.uneue.org (new)
www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/eue_web/eue_mnu.htm (archive)


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