ERITREA - HUMANITARIAN UPDATE

UNCLAS ASMARA 000618

SIPDIS

AIDAC SIPDIS

USAID/DCHA FOR MHESS, WGARVELILNK, LROGERS
DCHA/OFDA FOR GGOTTLIEB, AFERRARA, ACONVERY, CGOTTSCHALK, KCHANNELL
DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN, SBRADLEY
USAID/AFR/EA FOR JBORNS, SMCLURE
USUN FOR EMALY
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER
ROME FOR FODAG
NAIROBI FOR OFDA JMYER, GPLATT; REDSO/FFP NESTES
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH
NSC FOR JMELINE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID UN ER

SUBJECT: ERITREA - HUMANITARIAN UPDATE

REF: Asmara 00398

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Introduction and Summary
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1. USAID/OFDA Regional Advisor (RA) Georgianna Platt traveled to
Eritrea June 17-29, 2006 to meet with U.N. agencies,
non-governmental organizations (NGOs),OFDA implementing partners
and staff of the US Embassy Humanitarian Affairs Unit (HAU) to
assess the overall humanitarian situation and impact of the ongoing
drought in the Horn of Africa region. The RA also visited a
USAID/OFDA funded water project implemented by UNICEF Eritrea in
Northern Red Sea Region and its planned Community-based Therapeutic
Feeding Center (CTC) for severely malnourished children in Massawa.



2. The operating environment for UN agencies and NGOs in Eritrea
remains challenging. While about half of the 32 local and
international NGOs passed the rigorous process of registration
imposed by the Ministry of Labor and Human Welfare (MLHW) in May
2005, they still encounter operational, administrative and financial
obstacles and travel restrictions imposed by the GSE. Three
international NGOs that were initially registered in 2005 had their
registrations rescinded in March, and were asked to cease activities
and close their offices immediately. Reasons for this action were
not provided to the NGOs.


3. The drought that has affected other Horn of Africa countries has
had a detrimental impact on household food security throughout
Eritrea. Contrary to government claims of a bumper harvest in late
2005, UN and NGOs say the 2005 harvest was at best average, and
provided only a three-to-four month supply of cereals. The much
needed December coastal rains completely failed causing considerable
livestock loss there due to lack of pasture and water reserves while
the long rains of June and July are off to a slow start. All
general food distributions by the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) and
NGOs were stopped by the GSE in September 2005 and targeted food
distributions were stopped by April 2006.


4. Nutrition surveys conducted in February 2006 by the U.N.
Children's Fund (UNICEF) show worsening malnutrition rates, a proxy
indicator of the general food security situation. (The GSE will not
allow multi-sector household food security assessments by the U.N.
and NGOs). A much anticipated food-for-work (FFW) scheme to be
organized by the MLHW to replace general food distributions never
materialized, instead, the government is selling the 94,000 MT of
commodities provided by donors to WFP and NGOs to finance a
cash-for-work (CFW) scheme. U.N. agencies and NGOs met with
describe high food prices, limited food availability, poor terms of
trade, low livestock prices and an overall worsening food security
situation.


5. The USAID/DCHA Humanitarian Affairs Unit (HAU) staff at the US
Embassy are working to facilitate USAID/FFP's portfolio closeout,
monitor OFDA funded partner activities, and monitor and assess
general humanitarian conditions in the country by liaising with
government ministries, the U.N. and NGOs. New travel restrictions
by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on embassy staff travel
outside Asmara is making it difficult for HAU, embassy and temporary
duty (TDY) staff to effectively determine the humanitarian situation
in the country.


6. OFDA recommends continued engagement with UN agencies, NGOs and
the GSE; and funding for water, food security, nutrition, health and
coordination if disaster funding is available. End Introduction and
Summary.

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Humanitarian Affairs Unit - US Embassy, Asmara
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7. HAU staff at the US Embassy in Asmara are facilitating the
closeout of Food for Peace's program portfolio (with NGOs Catholic
Relief Services (CRS),WFP and Mercy Corps). The unit also provides
oversight to USAID/OFDA funded programs implemented by UNICEF and
CRS, and assesses the humanitarian situation by liaising with the
U.N. agencies, NGOs, government authorities, and other international
organizations.


8. HAU national staff face a challenging task but are doing a good
job, having been told by some NGOs that their presence in NGO
vehicles is unwelcome, and some NGOs feel that an embassy vehicle in
convoy with theirs may cause undue attention. HAU attempts to
gather information on food security and the general humanitarian
situation from local authorities have been stymied by the reluctance
of officials to be frank and forthcoming with information.

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Food Security: Everyone's Concern
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9. The GSE declared the 2005 harvest to be the best since 1998,
claiming a harvest of 400,000 MT. The government stopped all
general food distributions in September, 2005, and stopped targeted
food distributions between November 2005 and April 2006. These
distributions were implemented by WFP, Mercy Corps and CRS. The
three agencies had been feeding approximately 1.3 million
beneficiaries, about a third of the Eritrean population. Instead, a
FFW scheme was to replace general food distributions. By May 2005,
the FFW program had not materialized, and the GSE announced a CFW
program that would utilize the 94,000 MT currently in
government-controlled warehouses for its own projects, part of a
goal to achieve "self-reliance" and reduce dependency on donor aid.
(Reftel).


10. The GSE is selling the donor-provided food aid to subsidize its
CFW program. Donor food commodities are being sold at government
outlets and to businessmen for resale on local markets. WFP reports
that donated cereals are being milled in Asmara, repackaged in the
same bags, and are being transported to rural markets and urban
government shops. NGOs interviewed made similar reports.


11. According to WFP, Eritrea needs about 650,000 MT per year to
feed its citizens while only 200,000 to 220,000 are produced locally
in the best of times, with the balance provided through commercial
imports and donations. With no general food distributions since
September of 2005, and an average harvest in 2005, many zobas hit by
the region-wide drought earlier this year saw extensive livestock
deaths. The failure of the short rains in March, needed for
long-cycle crop germination, the delay in the start of the long
rains and seed and fertilizer shortages, are contributing to
critical household food shortages. In fact, all UN agencies and
NGOs interviewed confirm high food prices, limited food availability
at markets, poor terms of trade, poor milk and milk product
production, and say they have heard that some families limit food
intake to one meal a day. Unfortunately, the lean period will
continue through November, with the food security situation only
getting worse over the dry summer months ahead.


12. Extensive labor shortages due to military and national service
requirements have severely affected subsistence farming capacity and
family income generating opportunities. In some regions of the
country, women headed households are as high as 50 percent due to
conscription.


13. UNICEF reports increasing malnutrition rates, especially in
Gash Barka where a nutrition survey showed global acute malnutrition
rates increasing from 17.2 percent in July 2005 to 21 percent in
February 2006. Severe acute malnutrition in this region also
increased, from 1.3 percent to 2.3 percent. According to UNICEF,
the main causes for these high malnutrition rates are inadequate
food, low variety in diet, and water shortages. UNICEF anticipates
these malnutrition rates will increase in the coming months. Since
the government is not conducting post-harvest assessments and
household food security surveys, these figures are good proxy
indicators of the general food security situation.

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Difficult Working Environment
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14. U.N. agencies and NGOs continue to grapple with operational
challenges posed by GSE ministries. Since the MLHW replaced the
Eritrean Relief and Refugee Commission (ERREC) in May 2005 as the
main government institution responsible for coordinating
humanitarian operations, it has not established itself as a
responsive counterpart to the humanitarian community. MLHW issued
travel passes are required for all NGO expatriates wishing to travel
to project locations outside Asmara and work permits are now limited
to one expatriate per NGO. U.N. agencies fare slightly better in
getting travel and work permits. International employees at all
embassies now require MFA permission to travel outside the Asmara
city limits. The OFDA RA was granted permission to visit a UNICEF
implemented water project in Foro, Northern Red Sea, but was denied
travel permission to visit a CRS project site in Debub.


15. NGOs cite shortages of qualified workers (due to required
national service obligations),travel restrictions, shortages of
supplies, equipment and materials, delays in processing imports,
delays in processing memoranda of understanding with local
authorities and line ministries as major challenges that result in
delays in project implementation.


16. The GSE's May 2005 NGO Proclamation resulted in about half of
the 32 international NGOs being registered and allowed to operate in
Eritrea, the balance of NGOs were closed down by the end of 2005.
In March 2006, three NGOs that were registered in 2005 were
deregistered and asked to cease operations by the MLHW; no reasons
were provided. Concern Worldwide and Accord will be closed out by
the end of July and Mercy Corps ended all activities and forfeited
all assets to the government in June. This has made the tenure of
all NGOs uncertain, especially since the NGO Proclamation cites an
annual NGO registration process; the remaining local and
international NGOs fear being culled in the next round of
registration.

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Interagency Coordination and the CHAP
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17. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) has implemented the cluster approach to coordination, with
designated U.N. agencies chairing each of six cluster groups that
are responsible for identifying humanitarian issues and response
plans. Cluster heads are to report to an interagency steering
committee (IASC). While the process resulted in the drafting of the
common humanitarian action plan (CHAP) which outlines the current
humanitarian situation and projected humanitarian response resource
requirements, the IASC has been dormant for the past several months,
due in part to the absence of an office chief at OCHA and lack of
engagement by the UNDP Humanitarian Coordinator. OCHA has recently
appointed a new head of office in Eritrea who will be reactivating
the IASC. The CHAP can easily be converted into a consolidated
emergency appeal (CAP) if the government allows the U.N. to start
the process. Eritrea was included in the regional Horn of Africa
CAP, however, donor response for U.N. agency support in Eritrea has
been minimal.

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Internally Displaced Persons: uncertain future
-------------- --


18. Approximately 40,000 people remain internally displaced in
Eritrea, living in camps in Gash Barka, Debub and Northern Red Sea
provinces; unable to return to their homes in the temporary security
zone (TSZ) along the disputed border with Ethiopia. In early 2005,
the U.N. assisted the government to resettle over 14,000 IDPs in 22
villages in Gash Barka. In recent months, the government has
resettled an additional 5,000 IDPs in their home villages in Debub,
however, OCHA reports that many are returning to camps due to lack
of infrastructure and support services in resettlement areas. A
recent U.N. assessment mission (UNICEF, OCHA and UNDP) was deployed
to the region and will soon report its findings.

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Water: Continues to be a priority
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19. As the long rains are delayed, water availability is becoming
increasingly scarce. According to UNICEF and the Water Resource
Department of the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment, only
about a third of the rural population has access to protected water
systems. Water levels in wells and boreholes in lowlands are at an
all time low. Women and children are impacted the most, as they are
generally tasked with fetching water and are compelled to travel
great distances to find it. Most agencies interviewed are
implementing water programs, as this is the priority need voiced by
all rural communities.


20. Sanitation coverage is extremely low, with less than four
percent of the rural population having access to sanitation
facilities. Subsequently, with each water delivery system that
UNICEF rehabilitates or constructs, accompanying sanitation
facilities are introduced and sanitation/health education programs
are undertaken in local schools.

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Progress of OFDA Funded Projects - UNICEF and CRS
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21. The RA visited a USAID/OFDA-funded UNICEF-implemented water
program site in Northern Red Sea Zoba. The Foro water project
phase-one was completed in February 2005, phase-two is to be
completed by the end of the year. It provides water to six villages
in addition to Foro town, a total of about 10,000 persons. Water is
gravity fed from a spring 15 KM from Foro. Water committees were
formed and they have been trained to manage the water resources in
their villages. Distribution points are managed locally and
residents are charged a nominal fee to cover maintenance costs.
UNICEF has an excellent working relationship with both the central
and regional water board officers. The project is within national
development priorities and has had an immediate impact on both
health and livelihoods of the beneficiaries.


22. UNICEF plans to expand therapeutic feeding programs in
conjunction with the Ministry of Health. It currently supports 42
programs for severely malnourished children throughout the country
and plans to open an additional ten feeding centers. It is also
planning to pilot community-based therapeutic care (CTC),a feeding
strategy that will provide ready-to-use therapeutic food to children
on an out-patient basis.


23. CRS' USAID/OFDA funded Agriculture and Livelihood Program
commenced after the start of the long rainy season in 2005, thus was
unable to provide farmers with seeds for the main cropping season.
CRS was given a no-cost extension until the end of June 2006
providing 10,000 farm families with seeds and plowing services in
Debub and Maekel Zobas. CRS was awarded a cost extension by OFDA in
June 2006, targeting an additional 4,000 farm families with seeds
and plowing services for the main cropping season. The OFDA RA was
unable to observe a CRS supported seed fair in Debub due to GSE
travel restrictions.

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Conclusions and Recommendations
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24. Many of the overall problems in Eritrea stem from chronic
poverty and vulnerability and are exacerbated by questionable
government relief policies and responses to food insecurity. About
half of the population is unable to produce or obtain sufficient
food while less than a third of the rural population has access to
potable water. Food insecurity is exacerbated by chronic drought
conditions in the Sahel, resulting in crop failures, exorbitant
grain prices, livestock losses and asset depletion furthering the
downward spiral of vulnerable people into abject poverty and
destitution.


25. While the GSE has downplayed the need for development
assistance programs, it has created an extremely difficult and
antagonistic working environment for many U.N. agencies and NGOs
which could respond to the looming humanitarian crisis.


26. The failure of the December coastal rains, needed to replenish
pasture and water tables, resulted in large numbers of livestock
deaths and reverse migration of pastoralists and livestock to
highlands which further stressed the population in those regions.
The absence of the short rains in March resulted in poor long cycle
crop germination. The delayed onset of the long rains for the main
cropping season, shortages of seed and fertilizer, and the lack of
food relief during these lean months prior to the next harvest are
contributing factors to extensive food insecurity. Malnutrition
rates are increasing, food prices are skyrocketing while many
households are already limiting food intake to one meal a day,
indicators show that the food security situation is deteriorating.
Responses by the government, such as stopping all food aid
distributions, initiating a hastily implemented CFW scheme and the
monetization of food aid are inadequate and inappropriate
interventions.


27. Depending on the availability of funds, the OFDA RA recommends
priority consideration to the following sectors: (1) water source
rehabilitation focusing on drought stricken areas as well as water
related livelihood interventions (irrigation schemes); (2)
short-term agriculture support activities, including the provision
of seeds and other farm inputs and interventions addressing
livelihood support; and (3) support for emergency health and
nutrition interventions. In addition, the OFDA RA recommends
support to OCHA to enable greater coordination between humanitarian
actors and the government.


28. OFDA also recommends a follow-up review of the humanitarian
situation in mid-2006 by OFDA agriculture and health/nutrition
specialists to determine agriculture, livelihood, health and
nutrition sector needs, and to reassess the operating climate and
humanitarian and food security situation.

DeLisi