OCHA Situation Report
Somalia
Report for August 2006
24 August 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

WHY THE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE FUND (HRF)?

Established in 2004, at the height of a drought crisis in northern 
Somalia, the Humanitarian Response Fund (HRF) has developed to become a 
strategic response tool that pools resources from various donors to 
support rapid humanitarian responses in the early stages of an 
emergency, and fill gaps in the later stages of a crisis.

So far, the Fund has supported 35 projects responding to various needs 
arising from humanitarian emergencies throughout the country. A 
livelihood and food security assessment in early 2006 revealed that 
after a short reprieve in 2005, many parts of the country had regressed 
particularly in the South/Central areas. By early 2006, around 2.1 
million people country-wide were in a state of Humanitarian Emergency 
and/or Acute Livelihood Crisis (FAO-Food Security Analysis Unit - 2006 
Post-Deyr report). The assessment findings indicated a continued need 
for a two-pronged multi-sector response addressing immediate life saving 
activities and medium term livelihood needs to protect and rehabilitate 
productive assets. Since March 2006, the HRF has prioritised 
interventions responding to immediate needs - such as water for humans 
and their livestock, as well as early recovery interventions - resulting 
in the funding of 15 projects targeting around 261,190 immediate 
beneficiaries and many other indirect beneficiaries. Most of the 
projects were implemented in southern Somalia where the effects of the 
drought were most severe.

Expansion of the use of the Fund to emergencies beyond the 2004 drought 
has enabled the Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator to support 
interventions for populations affected by floods, conflict and/or 
displacement. In Somalia, the HRF is now recognised by UN agencies and 
NGOs as a key mechanism through which gaps in humanitarian response and 
funding can be addressed.

Funding Update

"With contributions from UK, Norway, Ireland, Sweden and Netherlands, 
the Fund has supported 35 projects since 2004 amounting to approximately 
US$6.9m and served 732,336 primary beneficiaries with a trickle down 
effect on many others.

A total of US $ 8m was appealed under the 2006 Somalia CAP. So far, some 
US$3,432,026 has been raised in addition to US$1.3m carry-over from 
2005. A total of US$3,276,416 has been spent to support projects.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -