OCHA Situation Report
Ethiopia
17 April 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

MAJOR INCREASE IN RESPONSE TO NON-FOOD NEEDS

Donors are actively responding to the non-food requirement of the 2006
Humanitarian Appeal.  To date, of the US$ 111 million requested, US$
37.5 million in contributions have been confirmed and another US$ 3
million has been pledged.  Major funding has come from USA/OFDA,
UK/DFID, Canada, Norway, and Sweden as well as from Government sources.
Much of this funding is being applied to the emergency crisis areas in
the South of the country for water and sanitation, health and nutrition
and livestock health and destocking activities.  The US$ 6.9 million (UK
E 4 M) contribution from DFID to the Humanitarian Response Fund (HRF),
managed by the Humanitarian Coordinator and OCHA, will be used to
immediately address critical gaps in the current crisis areas of Somali
Region and Borena zone, Oromiya Region. This funding will complement
approximately US$ 8.3 million being provided by USA/OFDA and funding by
other donors to address these crisis areas in the South. The HRF is a
newly established mechanism that provides rapid and flexible funding for
emergencies. Numerous proposals have been received and priorities for
funding are being determined in close consultation with relevant sector
Task Forces and humanitarian partners. For more information and detailed
contributions listing: ocha-eth@un.org

RELIEF FOOD PIPELINE REQUIRES SUPPORT FOR SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

Against 400,000 tonnes of food appealed in the 2006 Humanitarian Appeal,
308,000 tonnes are covered by carryover pledges and new contributions.
Resources can cover monthly allocations only until the end of May.
Donors should consider additional contributions for anticipated
requirements in the second half of the year. A recent contribution of
17,500 tonnes of CSB (equivalent to US$ 10 million)  will assist in
addressing the needs for targeted supplementary feeding and blanket
supplementary feeding in the most critical areas of concern. In Somali
Region, the preliminary findings of the re-assessment missions (28 March
to 12 April) in Afder, Gode and Liben zones indicate increased
beneficiary numbers and non-food needs. The re-assessment mission in
Borena zone of Oromiya Region has recommended an increase in beneficiary
figures from 155,000 to 220,000.  Contact: wfp.addisababa@wfp.org

FLOODS IN AFAR AND SOMALI REGION

Rains continue to be reported in the emergency crisis (pastoralist)
areas of the country. In Somali Region the onset of the gu rains was
timely and its performance to date is reported to vary from good to
still poor. In Afar, extensive rains (locally known as sugum) are
reported in most zones of the region since late March. However, no or
very little rain is reported across the northern belt of the region,
including Dalul, Koneba, Berhale, and northern kebeles of Afdera and
Elidar. In Borena zone, all woredas, including the lowland woredas,
received good rains for four to five days starting from the first week
of April.  However, the amount is still inadequate in Moyale, Miyo, Dire
and eastern part of Arero woredas compared to other areas of the zone
and has stopped since 7 April. The rains have begun the regeneration of
pasture and improved the availability of water, but have also increased
livestock mortality, hygiene concerns and created access problems.

On 9 April, the Awash River flooded four kebeles in Dubti woreda in Zone
One of Afar Region, affecting up to 7,000 people. The worst affected is
Bayahele kebele, which is 12 kms from Dubti town. According to reports,
many people are displaced and others are surrounded by the flood waters.
In addition, the bridge, which connects Dubti town with Det Bahree area,
is destroyed by the heavy rains, cutting Det Bahree area from the town.
The area affected by floods is expanding, reportedly impacting the
people living along the river in Asayita woreda. The regional Disaster
Prevention and Preparedness Bureau (DPPB)  requested the Federal DPPA
for immediate food and non-food interventions. Meanwhile, the woreda
officials provided 80 bags of corn to the affected people. The federal
authorities dispatched six tonnes of Corn Soya Blend (CSB) and five
rolls of plastic sheeting to the affected population.  In addition, the
Regional Health Bureau, with support from UNICEF and African Medical
Research Foundation, has distributed 12,000 Long Lasting Insecticide
Nets (LLINs) to the woreda. There are sufficient ITNs in the pipeline
(from CIDA/UNICEF and the Global Fund)  to cover the entire malaria
at-risk population of Afar (1.2 million) by December 2006. Meanwhile, a
team comprising of the DPPA and the regional DPPB, is currently
assessing the affected areas.

Recent reports indicate that floods displaced up to 3,000 people in
Lasarat village, which is 17 km away from Ayisha woreda in Shinille
zone, Somali Region.  According to the woreda officials, the floods have
destroyed more than 190 houses and killed up to 500 animals. It is also
reported that 293 quintal of wheat and 31 quintal of CSB that gotten wet
were immediately distributed to the affected people. A team, comprising
DPPB and Hararghe Catholic Service, was not able to reach the affected
area due to the floods.  The team (based on the information from the
woreda officials) recommends urgent food and non-food interventions.
Meanwhile, Project Concern International has allocated funds for the
purchase of plastic sheeting.

FOOD DISPATCHES CONTINUE TO SOUTHERN AREAS

The DPPA's food dispatches to Somali Region and Borena zone of Oromiya
Region continue. From the 23,386 tonnes of food allocated for Somali
Region in February, 54 percent has been dispatched as of 10 April. DPPA
has also started dispatching small quantities of food allocated for
March. For Oromiya Region, 84 percent of February's allocation of 5,186
tonnes has been dispatched, along with 83 percent of March's allocation
of 11,516 tonnes. The DPPA has also dispatched 76 percent of Afar's
March allocation. There are delays in the dispatch of food from Nazareth
to Moyale (Somali Region)  due to lack of interest of transporters,
mainly due to insecurity. The issue is being analysed by the
recently-formed Transport Coordination Commission, set up in Addis
Ababa, Nazareth and Dire Dawa. wfp.addisababa@wfp.org

FIVE MILLION CHILDREN TO BE VACCINATED AGAINST POLIO

The Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO and UNICEF,
launched a four-day, house-to-house polio immunisation campaign on 14
April.  The campaign targets five million children under the age of five
in 15 identified high-risk zones of Tigray, Amhara, Oromiya, and Harari
regions, as well as Dire Dawa City Administration. The latest polio case
was found in Bolch woreda, Warder zone, Somali Region, bringing the
total number of confirmed cases in the country to 25 since December
2004. who-wro@et.afro.who.int

REGIONAL COORDINATION MEETINGS

The Oromiya regional coordination meeting is scheduled for 18 April in
Addis Ababa and the Somali regional emergency coordination meeting is
scheduled for 25 April in Jijiga town.  Federal and regional sectoral
taskforce meetings are continuing according to their regular schedule.
Contact: ocha-eth@un.org

For further information, please contact

UN OCHA -Ethiopia
Tel: 251- 11- 544 41 86/251- 11- 544 41 62
Fax: 251- 11- 5511292
email: ocha-eth@un.org
Website: www.ocha-eth.org

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