OCHA Situation Report
Ethiopia
14 November 2003


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

DPPC issues Additional Alert on Somali Region

An additional alert has been issued by the federal government's Disaster
Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC) about the impact of a
possible failure of the deyr rains in Somali Region. The first report was
released two weeks ago by the Disaster Prevention, Preparedness and Food
Security Bureau. Rains which should have begun in early October have not
arrived, except for light showers last week in localized places of Warder
(Danot district), Gode, Afder and Korahe zones, and more significant rains
in parts of Liben zone. The Somali Regional Crisis Management Committee
(SRCMC) which is comprised of all line bureaus met in the regional capital
of Jijiga this week to review the situation and decide on action required.
WFP, UNICEF and OCHA are supporting the SRCMC and the Somali Region DPPB
in making contingency plans to address the deepening problem.  A Joint
meeting of UN and Government will be held on Wednesday next week to review
the situation and the draft contingency plan.  Review of the ration
distributed by DPPC/WFP to beneficiaries in southern Somali Region is
being made to ensure that available supplies of pulses and vegetable oil,
which are being targeted to priority areas of the country, are added to
the current cereal ration for the most affected areas of Somali Region,
and to make sure that supplementary rations of fortified blended food are
distributed to those most at risk if required. WFP is also encouraging the
regional authorities to ensure that targeting is improved. An in-depth
assessment led by the DPPC will be launched in these areas in early
December. Security issues restrict the possibility of WFP involvement in
the assessment in much of central and eastern parts of the region, but WFP
tracks the situation in these areas through the on-going reports of local
government offices and NGOs involved in the regional government/SC-UK
early warning programme.

Concern is rising in pastoral areas

The southern pastoral areas of the country, Borena and Guji zones in
Oromiya Region and South Omo zone of SNNPR, are also suffering from below
average rain or no rains at all and will be covered by the DPPC-led
assessment in December.

UNICEF RECEIVES US $2.5 MILLION MALARIA DONATION FROM BRITISH GOVERNMENT

The British Government pledged US$2.5 million to UNICEF on 12 November to
combat the malaria epidemic threatening 15 million people in Ethiopia.
Earlier this month, the Government of the Netherlands donated US$1 million
for UNICEF's malaria prevention activities in the country. The funding
follows an emergency appeal by the UN for $5.8 million to combat malaria,
including drug supplies and insecticide treated bed nets needed for
affected regions.

MINE RISK EDUCATION COORDINATION MEETING TO BE HELD IN MEKELE

The Ethiopian Mine Action Office (EMAO) and UNICEF are organizing a Mine
Risk Education (MRE) Coordination Meeting 20 November in Mekelle to
improve relationships between the different MRE partners and to define the
roles of the different agencies involved. Topics for the first meeting
include the standardisation of MRE forms to include victim information,
dangerous areas and education activities. In addition, a terms of
reference for future coordination meetings will be drawn up.
Representatives of the DPPC, EMAO, Rehabilitation and Development
Organization (RaDO), the Ethiopian Red Cross (ERC), the office for
Rehabilitation and Social Affairs (ORSA), Emergency Recovery Project
Management Unit (ERPMU), have been invited to attend.

EFSR Status

Ethiopia Food Security Reserve (EFSR) reports stocks on hand as of 13
November are 268,125 mts, stock under withdrawal, 50,084 mts and
outstanding loans equal 86,795 mts.

For more information, contact UN OCHA - Ethiopia 44 44 14/4441 22


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