OCHA Situation Report
Eritrea
31 August 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HIGHLIGHTS
Mission of Special Envoy of Secretary General

The UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for Humanitarian Crisis in the 
Horn of Africa, Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, visited Eritrea from 22-25 August 
2005. Mr. Ahtisaari's visit was aiming at raising international 
awareness about the impact of war, recurring drought and food 
insecurity, as well as assist to mobilize donor support for long-term 
recovery programmes and persistent humanitarian needs.

While in Eritrea, Mr. Ahtisaari discussed the humanitarian situation and 
recovery efforts with President Isaias Afwerki, and top ministers, as 
well as members of the international community. During his mission he 
called on the donor community to give timely response to tackle 
humanitarian challenges in Eritrea caused by the recurrent years of 
drought and lingering effect of the war. He made the call at a press 
conference he gave on 24 August as he wrapped up his two-day mission to 
Eritrea.

Mr. Ahtisaari underlined that all partners should identify the basic 
cause of poor humanitarian outcomes from the recurrent drought in 
Eritrea, and give prompt response to meet the challenge. Commending the 
Eritrean government's relentless efforts to achieve food security and 
promote soil and water conservation, the Special Envoy underlined that 
all partners should support the Eritrean government's policy of 
selfreliance. Mr. Ahtisaari emphasized that although humanitarian aid 
plays a significant role in tackling drought and other humanitarian 
challenges, the decisive factor is development assistance. In this 
respect, he called on partners to extend the necessary support.

In the talks he had with President Isaias Afwerki and senior Eritrean 
government officials, the Special Envoy pointed out that it was 
conducted in a spirit of understanding and expressed hope that the 
continued contacts with the Eritrean government and partners would 
result in overcoming the existing problems.

"I cannot help recognizing the fact that the border issue has not been 
solved. It has influenced not only the humanitarian side but also on the 
use of resources by the government," the Special Envoy said. "If I would 
hope for one thing to be solved, I would definitely say it is the border 
issue , because it overshadows everything that we do," he added. 
Attempts to resolve the border dispute between the two countries have 
been in stalemate since the end of a bloody two-year war in 2000.

Overall Situation

The food aid-pledging situation remains positive, with WFP reporting 
pledges of 79% of requirement against CAP 2005. However, the performance 
on timely delivery of food aid has been below expectation this year, 
contributing to sustained high levels of malnutrition among women and 
children throughout the country. Overall fewer than half of intended 
beneficiaries receive food rations, and while those in camps or recently 
returned as refugees and internally displaced, receive full rations, the 
majority of recipients have collected an average 60% of normal ration 
size throughout the year. In addition, urban economic food shortages 
also continue to be reported, given inflation and commodity shortages. 
Cereal prices are currently very high, more than twice their longer-term 
average cost in some areas.

To support rehabilitation programmes, UNICEF handed over 310 MT of 
special food (UNIMIX) and 150 MT of DMK to ERREC during the reporting 
period. The commodities will be distributed in all zones through health 
facilities for a total of 51,591 malnourished children under five years 
of age, and pregnant and lactating women.

World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed a case of poliomyelitis 
(Polio) in August 2005 in Gogne, a village in Gash Barka zone close to 
the border of Sudan. The MoH and health affiliated organizations are 
preparing response actions. As a result, two rounds of immunization 
campaigns are planned from 7- 10 October and 12-15 November 2005. This 
is the first case to be reported in Eritrea since 1997. MoH in 
collaboration with WHO and UNICEF conducted a polio campaign covering 
500,000 people along the areas neighboring Sudan, right after polio 
cases were reported in Eastern part of the Sudan earlier this year.

Ground metrological data indicates that in June, the amount of rainfall 
had been below average in Debub zone, the breadbasket of the country 
next to Gash Barka zone. However, cumulative rainfall has been adequate 
for field preparation, planting and the growth of long-cycle crops. 
Pastures are beginning to regenerate in areas that ha d, until May this 
year, been hard hit by the long dry spell. A preliminary positive sign 
is that pastoralist terms of trade are slowly improving. However, more 
complete recovery of pastoralist livelihoods will require many 
successive seasons of good pasture conditions. Worrisome is a recent 
Famine Early Warning NET field report, which indicates that many 
pastoralists in Gash-Barka are likely past the point where recovery is 
possible without the above cited positive environmental conditions and 
major intervention.

OCHA and UNICEF international experts from New York conducted a workshop 
in Asmara from 29-30 August 2005 on Prevention from Sexual Exploitation 
and Abuse for the newly established Eritrea Inter- Agency Focal Point 
Network. The workshop included: discussions on the UN Secretary 
General's bulletin, the roles and responsibilities of the focal persons 
and the network, and developing annual plan of action for the network. 
The Inter- Agency Focal Point Network in Eritrea was established under 
the leadership and guidance of Mr. Macleod Nyirongo, Resident 
Humanitarian Coordinator on 17 August 2005.

WFP Continue to Assist Drought and War affected populations with Food 
Aid During August 2005, WFP released a total of 6,255 MT of mixed 
commodities targeting over 509,000 beneficiaries for general relief food 
distribution and under food-for-health programme in Anseba, Debub, Gash 
Barka, Maekel and Northern Red Sea. In response to the Eritrean Relief 
and Refugee Commission (ERREC) request to pre-distribute two-month 
rations in areas where hardly accessible during the rainy season, WFP 
released also a total of 6,012 MT of assorted commodities in June 2005. 
The two-month food pre-distribution will guarantee that a total of 
228,732 drought and war-affected benefic iaries will have access to food 
during the months of July and August 2005. As of the beginning of 
August, WFP had a total of 44,240 MT of assorted food commodities 
in-country stocks and expects a further 178,178 MT before the end of the 
year. These resources will meet the global needs of the new WFP 
Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO) until July 2006 at the 
planned caseload of 1.26 million beneficiaries. Nevertheless, a large 
portion of these resources is composed of cereals and contributions are 
still needed to cover the other food commodities requirements such as 
pulses, CSB and Vegetable Oil.

WFP commitment coverage for all operations has remained unchanged: The 
coverage for Emergency Operations has reached approximately US$ 60 
million or 80 percent of the total requirement. Coverage for the 
Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations remains at US$ 44.1 million 
representing 85 percent of operational requirements.

UNICEF Assists Internally Displaced Persons

UNICEF in collaboration with UNDP has supported 5,000 children and 4,000 
women, who returned to their villages of origin from Adi-Keshi camp in 
February 2005, with clothing and shoes in August 2005. Some 19,000 IDPs 
who were living in Adi Keshi IDP camp were assisted to return to their 
villages of origin in February 2005. Around 70% of these returnees are 
women and children in need of protection and assistance. The children 
and mothers need basic necessities such as clothing, shoes, garment - 
cotton sheets, and sanitary materials.

Currently there are about 50,000 Internally Displaced Persons IDPs still 
live in and outside camps and are unable to return to their villages of 
origin due to the presence of landmines, unexploded ordnances, and 
proximity to the border due to the delay of demarcation.

FAO supports Ministry of Agriculture in Seed Multiplication and 
distribution

During the month of August, the FAO Emergency Unit conducted monitoring 
activity of the seed multiplication project in Tesseney Sub-zone in Gash 
Barka Region. FAO, in support of the Ministry of Agriculture's endeavor 
of providing farmers with high quality and drought tolerant seeds, is 
cultivating 235 hectares of which 135 hectares with imported Sorghum 
variety, and 100 hectares with Pearl Millet of local improved Variet y.

The expected production from this project is 230 MT of Sorghum, and 60 
MT of Pearl Millet. The production will be distributed to farmers in 
2006 planting season. 50 MT imported Maize (Katumani variety) have been 
also distributed in Northern Red Sea region

Distribution of different vegetables seeds is still on going and up to 
now 7500 kits have been distributed to all the regions of Eritrea.

LWF Supports Malnourished Children and Internally Displaced Persons

In response to the Consolidated Appeals 2005, the Lutheran World 
Federation has received 3147 MT of wheat grain from Mennonite Central 
Committee Canada (MCCC) and Canadian Food Grains Bank (CFGB). Almost 75% 
of the consignment has arrived at Massawa port starting from the first 
week of August. The wheat will be distributed to vulnerable households 
in Maekel (Central) zone.

On 26 August, 200pcs of family tents were distributed to IDPs living in 
Mai Wurai camp in Debub zone. This is in addition to the 800pcs of 
family tents that were distributed in Senafe and Ghidae IDPs camps in 
Debub and Gash Barka zones respectively. The funding for the tents was 
received from Finn Church Aid.

With the funding received from Action by Churches Together (ACT) 
International, LWF is continuing its implementation of supplementary 
feeding project started in July. This project targets children under 
five and pregnant and lactating women in five local administration in 
Anseba zone. Total of around 2000 children and 500 women are being 
provided with a ration of 6kg/person/month. This project will continue 
up to December 2005.

UNMEE MACC Highlights

The Mine Action Coordination Centre (MACC) demining agencies are 
continuing their operations in the different sectors of the Temporary 
Security Zone (TSZ) despite the heavy rainy season. The Bangladeshi 
Engineering Company deployed in the western sector has been operating in 
Binbina - Shambiko and Barentu - Shilalo areas. The team has cleared an 
area of 83,650 square meters using both manual techniques and mine 
detection dogs. The MACC commercial contractor, MECHEM along with the 
Kenyan Demining team is operating in Grat Mariam and Mekarim Bayre 
minefields of sector west. This Integrated Demining team has cleared an 
area of around 297,341 square meters summing up the total area cleared 
to a total of 380,991 square meters . The Kenyan and Bangladeshi teams 
together with MECHEM also destroyed 2 anti-tank (AT) mines, 2 
anti-personnel (AP) mines, and 58 Unexploded Ordnance (UXO). The MACC 
Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team deployed in sector east also 
destroyed 2 AP, 1AT, and 236 UXOs.

The two Mine Risk Education teams were deployed in Shambiko and Tsorona 
areas of sectors west and centre respectively. 2,360 local residents 
benefited from the Mine Risk Education during the month of August.

Mine/UXO Accidents

On 15 August 2005, an UXO incident occurred near the village of Aromo in 
Sector center of the Temporary Security Zone. The incident claimed the 
life of a seven-year-old boy who was herding his donkey. The incident 
took place in an area outside known minefields where the local residents 
actively used the land for agricultural purposes. The Preliminary 
Investigation Report (PIR), which was released on August 18, 2005 by the 
UNMEE MACC, has stated that the area could have explosive remnants of 
the Ethiopian-Eritrean war in 2000.

For Further Information Related to the Humanitarian Update, Please 
contact:

OCHA - Eritrea Public Information Section at
291-1-151666/151888
Fax: 291-1-151999
e-mail: gebrehiwots@un.org

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