KENYA SOMALIA DROUGHT EMERGENCY TASK FORCE

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001019 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDED ADDEE) AIDAC STATE FOR AF/E, AF/EPS, AF/PD, EB, PRM/AF, IO USAID/DCHA FOR WGARVELINK, LROGERS, MHESS DCHA/OFDA FOR GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, IMACNAIRN, KCHANNELL DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN, JDRUMMOND, TANDERSON, DNELSON, SBRADLEY AFR/EA FOR JBORNS, SMCCLURE DAA/AFR, KALMQUIST ADDIS ABABA FOR TIM STUFFT DJIBOUTI FOR JSCHULMAN ROME FOR FODAG GENEVA FOR NKYLOH BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER NSC FOR JMELINE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: DY EAID ECO ET PHUM PREF EGAD CENTCOM PRES SUBJECT: KENYA SOMALIA DROUGHT EMERGENCY TASK FORCE REF: STATE 27057 ¶1. Summary: On February 27, Ambassador Bellamy established an inter-agency Drought Emergency Task Force for Kenya and Somalia at post to coordinate information and both short and long-term responses to the current crisis. Post estimates that the current drought in the Horn of Africa has placed 3.5 million Kenyans and 1.7 million Somalis in need of food aid. The need for additional food aid and non-food assistance is urgent; in Kenya, for instance, the current pipeline of food aid will only last through April. The impact of poor rains has been exacerbated in Kenya by inadequate investment in markets, infrastructure and social safety nets in Kenya and by the lack of an effective government in Somalia. End Summary. ¶2. The February 8 GOK/WFP drought assessment for Kenya estimates a population of 3.5 million persons in need of assistance, in 27 of the 36 Arid and Semi Arid (ASAL) districts. An estimated 395,000 MT of food aid is required between March 2006 and February 2007. Much of the affected population relies on livestock for its livelihood and is experiencing extraordinary pressures on water and pasture resources. The GOK has provided 60,000 MT against this requirement but has turned to the donors to finance the inland transportation and distribution of this food. U.S. pledges since January 1 amount to over 51,000 tons of cereals and non-cereals. Based on currently identified food supplies, the GOK/WFP food distribution pipeline is likely to face a break by the end of April, with stocks of CSB and veg-oil to be depleted even sooner. Additional needs for water, health and nutrition, education, agriculture and livelihood support total more than $20 million. ¶3. In Somalia, an estimated 1.7 million people in the North, Central and Southern regions of Somalia are facing conditions of acute food and livelihood crisis or humanitarian emergency at least until June 2006, and combined with 380,000 internally-displaced persons (IDPs),the total number of people in need of assistance throughout the country is 2.1 million. The crisis is especially severe in the southern regions of Somalia, where an estimated 1.4 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Somalia is experiencing crop failure, considerable livestock deaths, rapidly increasing cereal prices, falling livestock prices, abnormal population movements, and extreme shortages of and limited access to water and food. ¶4. The Drought Task Force for Kenya and Somalia will address the various aspects of the crisis, including food assistance, health and nutrition, water, longer- term actions to reduce the risk of recurrent drought, and public diplomacy. The Task Force is chaired by USAID Mission Director, Stephen Haykin, who is directly responsible for reporting to the Ambassador and DCM. Specific actions include: a) full participation in GOK/donor working groups to assess needs and coordinate responses; b) reporting to State and USAID Washington, including bi-weekly reporting of the drought situation in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti; c) continuing dialogue with DCHA/FFP and DCHA/OFDA to identify resources for emergency response programs; d) outreach to other Embassies to encourage their participation in the relief efforts, including a joint visit to North Eastern Province in February, and a March 5 luncheon at the Ambassador?s Residence during the visit of WFP Executive Director, James Morris, in which 15 other Embassies were represented. ¶5. In addition, USAID has formed a regional pastoralist working group, which serves as an internal think tank to inform USAID?s approach to the longer-term response to the drought in the pastoralist arc of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. Composed of REDSO, OFDA/ECARO, USAID/Ethiopia and USAID/Kenya, the working group interacts with other donors and partners to understand the immediate drought and the root causes of the failure of livelihood systems in the region. The current drought demonstrates the need for a regional perspective that complements bilateral activities to help build resiliency within the affected communities to withstand the effects of recurrent shocks; address conflict issues across borders; and help stem environmental degradation. The working group is developing a concept paper that may be used to access potential supplemental funds, e.g. the USAID/Washington-managed Famine Fund. ¶6. Concerted action is needed at Post and in Washington to secure the resources necessary to avoid widespread loss of life in Kenya and Somalia and to prepare for both recovery and mitigation of future threats. The Task Force will keep Washington informed of developments in Kenya. BELLAMY