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 439
26 July - 1 August 2008


CONTENTS:

SOMALIA: IDPs out of food, more clashes in Beletweyne
ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: Urgent need for dialogue after departure of UNMEE,
   says analyst
DJIBOUTI: Food and water shortages escalate
ETHIOPIA: Outlook bleak for several regions as crops fail
SUDAN: Hope for Abyei's displaced as troops move out

ALSO SEE:

GLOBAL: Calls to reduce taxes and controls on food aid
[Full Report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79483]

GLOBAL: How climate change works
[Full Report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79508]

GLOBAL: What climate change does - The 2nd in a three-part series
[Full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79563]


SOMALIA: IDPs out of food, more clashes in Beletweyne

Clashes between insurgents and government troops in Beletweyne, Hiiraan 
region of central Somalia, have created serious food scarcities in the 
town, hitting thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) hardest, 
locals said.

"Already, two children are said to have died of hunger; many others are 
malnourished," a journalist, who requested anonymity, said. "Most of the 
displaced are now resorting to eating fruit from the acacia trees - the 
only accessible thing."

Nearly 180,000 children in Somalia are acutely malnourished, with 25,000 
severely malnourished, according to the UN Children's Fund. The areas 
where IDPs have taken refuge after fleeing the violence in Mogadishu are 
at greatest risk of malnutrition.

[Full Report: 
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79571 Also See: SOMALIA: 
Leaders decry killing, abduction of aid workers 
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79552]


ETHIOPIA-ERITREA: Urgent need for dialogue after departure of UNMEE, 
says analyst

Tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea are unlikely to escalate 
immediately following the departure of UN peacekeepers, but a mechanism 
should be found to quickly engage the two neighbours, an analyst said.

"The decision is basically a formalisation of the reality because UNMEE 
has really not been on the ground," Fouad Hikmat, Horn of Africa 
director for the International Crisis Group, said.

"Both countries do not want to go to war, but the situation is very 
sensitive and the troops are close to each other," Hikmat added. 
"Hopefully the two will now try to engage." The Security Council 
terminated the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) on 31 July.

[Full Report:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79573]


ETHIOPIA: Outlook bleak for several regions as crops fail

The humanitarian situation in Ethiopia's regions of Afar, Amhara, Somali 
and Tigray is likely to deteriorate because seasonal crops have failed 
and livestock numbers have fallen, according to preliminary findings of 
the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency led multi-agency 
mission.

"The region received only 1.9 percent production from the planned 
estimate; Price increases have affected all wealth groups. Critical 
water shortage has been reported in five lowland areas of Raya Azabo and 
Alamata woredas," a report on the findings by findings reported by the 
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

The World Health Organization warned that diseases related to 
malnutrition such as diarrhea, pulmonary, eye and skin infections were 
increasing among children in areas affected by food shortages.

[Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79492]


DJIBOUTI: Food and water shortages escalate

Recurrent droughts, in addition to rising food and kerosene prices, have 
exacerbated food insecurity in the Horn of Africa country of Djibouti.

"The people have been struggling since 2003 because of drought, which 
has reduced pasture and increased population migration," Marcus Prior, 
the UN World Food Programme spokesman for East and Central Africa, said.

The government of Djibouti and the humanitarian community had launched 
an appeal for $31 million to deal with the impact of the food crisis.

[Full Report:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79548]


SUDAN: Hope for Abyei's displaced as troops move out

The withdrawal of national army troops from Sudan's oil-rich Abyei 
region should ease weeks of tension and pave the way for the return of 
thousands of people displaced by recent fighting in the area, observers 
said.

"Those people have now withdrawn," Southern Sudan Army spokesman Major 
General Daniel Parnyang said. "We got some information yesterday [29 
July] that the troops they left behind were leaving, but we are still 
trying to establish how far they have gone [from Abyei]."

Southern Sudan retains an independent military, according to the terms 
of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), while Khartoum controls 
national forces deployed in Northern Sudan. Joint Integrated Units, 
comprising national and southern forces, were set up as part of the CPA 
for certain duties and locations.

[Full Report: 
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79527 Also see: Helicopters 
top list of "shameful" missing equipment 
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79551]


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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