U N I T E D   N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Central and Eastern Africa

Tel: +254 2 622147
Fax: +254 2 622129
e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org


HORN OF AFRICA
IRIN-HOA Weekly Round-Up 354
2 - 8 December 2006


CONTENTS:

SOMALIA: Floods increase risk of malnutrition, diseases
SOMALIA: Lifting of arms embargo dangerous, UIC says
SOMALIA: Fears of humanitarian crisis as war talk escalates
SUDAN: Darfur at risk of mounting HIV/AIDS epidemic
SUDAN: Tension mounts after attack on North Darfur town
SUDAN: Conflict undermining food security in the south

See Also:

HORN OF AFRICA: More funds needed to cope with floods at:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56652


SOMALIA: Floods increase risk of malnutrition, diseases

Floods in Somalia have destroyed meagre food stocks for communities that 
were struggling to recover from the effects of a severe drought earlier 
in the year, putting children at a higher risk of malnutrition, 
according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"In many areas, community food supplies traditionally stored underground 
have been completely lost," Bob McCarthy, Emergency Officer, UNICEF 
Somalia Support Centre in Nairobi, told IRIN on Thursday.

[Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56668]


SOMALIA: Lifting of arms embargo dangerous, UIC says

The Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) condemned on Thursday a decision by 
the United Nations Security Council to lift an arms embargo on Somalia, 
warning it would lead to further instability. The move paves the way for 
the deployment of African troops to protect the interim government.

"This is a misguided decision," Ibrahim Hassan Adow, the UIC's head of 
foreign affairs, said. "It will contribute to further instability in the 
country."

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56649]


SOMALIA: Fears of humanitarian crisis as war talk escalates

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 
(OCHA) has expressed concern over reports of imminent war in Somalia, as 
increased insecurity could worsen the humanitarian crisis in the 
war-scarred country.

"The consequences of any widespread conflict would be disastrous, 
including massive internal movement, civilian casualties, and further 
livelihood and asset erosion," Philippe Lazzarini, head of OCHA in 
Somalia told IRIN on Wednesday.

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56636]


SUDAN: Darfur at risk of mounting HIV/AIDS epidemic

The United Nations is raising awareness about HIV/AIDS in Sudan, but has 
warned that infection rates may be on the rise in the unstable Darfur 
region.

"There are suggestions that the number of people who have the disease 
[in Darfur] is increasing," UNAIDS Country Coordinator Musa Bungudu told 
reporters in the Sudanese capital Khartoum recently.

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56655]


SUDAN: Tension mounts after attack on North Darfur town

Tension has mounted in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State in 
western Sudan, amid fears that rebels may launch an offensive on 
government forces being reinforced to defend the town, humanitarian 
sources said on Tuesday.

Militias attacked the cattle market on Monday and clashed with former 
rebels of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), according to African Union 
(AU) sources.

[Full story at: 
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56627]


SUDAN: Conflict undermining food security in the south

Attacks on communities in southern Sudan, such as the fighting in 
Malakal in Upper Nile State last week, are affecting food security and 
hampering improvements from recent harvests, an early-warning agency 
warned.

In Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Warrap States, the June-September harvest 
could sustain food needs until early next year, but increasing civil 
insecurity threatened to worsen an improving situation, the Famine Early 
Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net), said in an alert on Monday.

[Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56622]


IRIN-CEA
Tel: +254 2 622147
Fax: +254 2 622129
Email: IRIN@ocha.unon.org


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Horn of Africa                   www.cidi.org/humanitarian/irin/hafrica