HORN OF AFRICA, STATE - USAID HUMANITARIAN UPDATE

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001445 SIPDIS AIDAC DEPT HHS WASHDC CDC ATLANTA GA USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY CJTF HOA PRIORITY DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY SIPDIS STATE FORQE, AF/EPS, AF/PD, EB, PRM/AF, IO AID FOR A/AID, AA/DCHA, WGARVELINK, LROGERS, MHESS, DCHA/OTI, DCHA/OFDA FOR GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, IMACNAIRN, KCHANNELL DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN, JDRUMMOND, TANDERSON, DNELSON, SBRADLEY AID/EGAT FOR AA/EGAT, JSCHAFER, JTURK AFR/EA FOR JBORNS, SMCCLURE ADDIS ABABA FOR TIM STUFFT DJIBOUTI FOR JSCHULMAN ROME FOR FODAG GENEVA FOR NKYLOH BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER NSC FOR JMELINE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON PHUM PREF PREL IGAD CENTCOM KE SO DY, ET SUBJECT: HORN OF AFRICA, STATE - USAID HUMANITARIAN UPDATE NUMBER 3 REF: A)STATE 27057; B)NAIROBI 00968; C)NAIROBI 01238 ¶1. This is the third update cable in response to Ref A request for biweekly reports on the humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa. USAID Missions in Kenya, Ethiopia, REDSO Somalia, Djibouti, and OFDA contributed to this report. -------------- FLASH REPORT -------------- ¶2. Early reports from an ongoing (March 25 - April 2) REDSO site visit to northeast Kenya - Mandera, El Wak, Wajir, and Garissa - describe a bleak picture. Around Mandera, livestock are essentially gone: A handful of sheep, goats, cattle and camels dot the landscape, but even camels, known for their resiliency to drought, are dying. The regional Mandera livestock market, once dynamic, has collapsed. There are increasing numbers of nomadic families, who have lost all their animals, arriving in Mandera town in search of food. It is the end of the road for many of these pastoralist "drop-outs", now totally dependent on food aid. The World Food Program (WFP) is feeding about 80 percent of the population at 75 percent caloric needs, but even this may not be enough. Malnutrition rates range from 21 - 30 percent in supplementary feeding centers, with large numbers of Ethiopians, Kenyans and Somalis being cared for. Humanitarian assistance has not yet managed to stabilize the deteriorating situation, and more is needed. In the worst- case scenario, famine looms. In the best case scenario that some rains do fall, it will take years for pastoralist livelihoods and herds to be re-established. -------------- COUNTRY REPORTS -------------- ¶3. KENYA UPDATE ON THE HUMANITARIAN/DIPLOMATIC FRONT: On March 28 in Nairobi, the Kenyan Office of the President updated a small donor group on a Drought Contingency Fund concept and status. A national Drought Contingency Fund, led by a steering committee, has been established to disburse prevention and preparedness grants to authorities of drought- prone and affected districts within Kenya to address recurrent droughts early on. The European Commission is preparing to commit Euro 4.6 million to the initiative. DONOR RESPONSE UPDATE: USAID/OFDA has provided a total of Dollars 2.6 million to meet non-food needs, and is in the process of approving an additional Dollars 2.5 million for nutrition and water interventions thQgh UNICEF and other NGOs. On the food aid side, in FY 06 FFP has contributed 44,890 MT of food aid worth Dollars 32 million. At present, 37 percent of WFP's emergency operation (EMOP) requirement (Dollars 225 million) has been resourced. Current distributions contain adequate cereals, but are critically short of pulses and oil. This will improve with a FFP arrival in May. There are no new donor EMOP donations. The Kenyan Red Cross Society reports that Kenyan communities (private sector, civil society organizations and individuals) have mobilized approximately Dollars 1.4 million cash and Dollars 355,000 in-kind relief resources in response to the drought. UPDATE ON THE FOOD SECURITY SITUATION AND OUTLOOK: Food security in the pastoral households continues to deteriorate precariously as the dry season reaches its peak. The World Bank funded Arid Lands Resource Management Project (ALRMP) reported that little or no rainfall was received in the northeast regions that require the rains most. Watering distances of up to 170 miles for pastoralists in Wajir and Mandera actually necessitate migration into Somalia and Ethiopia, however, remaining animals are not strong enough to trek more than 15-20 miles due to their weakened body condition. REDSO/FFPO, Dan Suther was in Wajir on March 29, and reports that the situation is worsening. Virtually all the animals are gone and the few camels left are now dying. The NGO Merlin reports global acute malnutrition rates of 29-30 percent in supplementary feeding centers. Pastoralists with remaining animals are moving to water points, setting up camp and waiting for food aid to arrive. Pastoralist "drop- outs", who have nothing left are moving to urban centers. In Mandera district, Suther reports the situation is not any better. The major regional livestock market has collapsed. Numbers at the water points and distribution centers in town are increasing. Action Against Hunger (AAH) in Mandera reports global malnutrition rates of 21 - 27 percent, with 30 percent of the children from Ethiopia, and 20 percent from Somalia. Should the long-rains season fail to pick up in April, few animals are likely to survive the extended dry spell and substantial numbers of pastoralists will lose their entire livelihood. This would add to the growing number of pastoralist "drop-outs" that become part of the urban poor. From March 21 - 24, OFDA Regional Advisor Al Dwyer traveled to the northern Kenyan district of Marsabit. Families report that although they usually have about 100 head of livestock on average, they are down to 20 - 30 animals due to lack of pasture and water. Conflict has arisen between tribes, disrupting grazing patterns and exacerbating poverty. WFP is delivering food aid, but is short of pulses and oil. Water trucking has begun, and more boreholes are being dug. OFDA is supporting these efforts through UNICEF. The 38 health clinics that OFDA Dwyer visited were functioning well. Failure of the April - May rains will eliminate many remaining animals, and force people into urban centers in search of food. Local officials and populations highlighted the fact that drought occurs at regular intervals, but that they need developmental programs to break the boom and bust cycle. OTHER TOPICS OF SPECIAL INTEREST: The Kenya Aloe Working Group (KAWG) met in Nairobi on March 29, 2006. Aloe grows in northeast Kenya, has good commercial potential - cosmetics and medical uses - and would provide income diversification for pastoralists. The KAWG brings together a large group of stakeholders and development partners (including the GOK and the Dutch SNV),and plans to develop an official national aloe policy, do fundraising, and implement activities. ¶4. ETHIOPIA UPDATE ON THE HUMANITARIAN/DIPLOMATIC FRONT: Needs in the Somali and Borena zones are increasing, and the UN has issued the 2006 Humanitarian Appeal for Dollars 14 million. Only Dollars 2.1 million has been received so far. USAID participated in several GOE Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Agency (DPPA) reassessments. In the Borena Zone in the Oromiya region, the team's recommendation is that beneficiary numbers be increased from 155,000 to 368,000 to cope with worsening drought conditions. Final official figures will be released by the DPPA. The GOE is leading reassessments in Afder and Liben zones of the Somali region, and the Afar region. A critical issue is identifying a solution for many of the 435,000 beneficiaries in Afar who have been identified to receive food assistance. Although 54,600 received emergency food assistance, the rest fell under the Productive Safety Net Program, which,Qfortunately, has not been operational in Afar in 2006. Therapeutic feeding programs have been hampered by a requirement to pay duty on imported food, even though used for humanitarian purposes. A sea change may be underway. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has issued a proclamation number to UNICEF that will now allow duty- free entry of "plumpy nut" therapeutic food. It is hoped that the proclamation number will apply to all donors and NGOs, and clarification is underway. CARE and the Government of the Oromiya Region have tankered over 4 million liters of water to the Borena zone, primarily for human consumption but also for livestock. The Somali Regional Health Bureau and UNICEF have completed Enhanced Outreach Strategy activities in 20 zones in the Somali Region. According to UNICEF, 160,000 children received vitamin A supplements, 137,000 children were de- wormed, and 159,000 children were vaccinated against measles (83 percent coverage). In addition, 48,000 children and 10,700 pregnant or lactating women were referred to DPPB for targeted supplementary feeding. The Pastoralist Livelihoods Initiative (PLI) response is continuing to gain momentum. Over 140,000 head of livestock have been de-stocked, or are in the de-stocking process. In the Somali Region, over 470,000 animals have been vaccinated. An additional 160,000 animals are planned to be vaccinated in the Oromiya region. Approximately 27,000 animals in breeding herds are being maintained by PLI partners, with additional animals planned. This intervention includes food and sometimes water provision for these herds. Additionally 16 animal health care workers have been trained and deployed. DONOR RESPONSE UPDATE: As of March 26, 2006 DPPA has reported 18 percent and 11 percent of food allocations were dispatched for the Somali region for February and March respectively. The reported dispatches for the Oromiya region are 86 and 4 percent for February and March respectively. The food pipelines for CSB and cereals break in June, 2006, and for pulses and oil at the end of December 2006. WFP estimates an additional 250,000 MT of cereals and CSB will be required for the second half of 2006. A small CSB donation was made by the Italians after it was requested by WFP, but this donation only fills the CSB pipeline through the end of June. No other donors have made further commitments to WFP at this time. USAID/OFDA is supporting rapid response water and nutrition interventions totaling Dollars 300,000. Furthermore, USAID/OFDA has awarded grants to CHF International for water and sanitation projects in Gode and Afder Zones of the Somali Region, to Merlin for water and sanitation in West Imi in Afder Zone, and to Population Services International (PSI) to provide water treatment products and treated bed nets to other OFDA water and nutrition partners responding to the drought. Implementation of these projects and several more currently under review will help fill a major gap in the drought response thus far. UPDATE ON THE FOOD SECURITY SITUATION AND OUTLOOK: FEWSNET reports that the belg rains have been erratic and late across Ethiopia. In the most affected regions of southeast Ethiopia, no rains have fallen, raising concern that cattle conditions will be as bad as they were in the 2000 severe drought. On the other hand, the onset of good rains in the higher altitude regions of the Oromiya region has been reported. Browse has regenerated for camels and goats, and pasture is showing the initial signs of recovery. ¶5. SOMALIA UPDATE ON THE HUMANITARIAN/DIPLOMATIC FRONT: On March 21 in Nairobi, the revised UN Consolidated Appeal (CAP) for Somalia was launched. The revised CAP seeks Dollars 326.7 million for 92 projects for the remaining of the year. At this point, Dollars 79 million or 24 percent has been committed against the appeal, and water and health needs remain largely unfunded. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator stressed that Somalia's infant, child and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world; average life expectancy is just 48 years; and primary school enrollment rates are the lowest in the world, and appealed to the humanitarian community to scale up its current response. Somali political leaders including the President, Prime Minister, and Speaker of the Parliament, joined Inter- governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Foreign Ministers and Heads of State in Nairobi March 18-20 for the 11th Summit of IGAD Heads of State and Government. Discussion among the Heads of State focused on whether and how to provide external military support to the Somali Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) meeting in Baidoa, Somalia. The Summit's final communique reiterated the principal elements set out by the UN Security Council, leading observers to hope that IGAD will now take a back seat to the Somali institutions in developing a National Security Plan. Heavy fighting broke out again in the capital March 22-26. Forces of the members of the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Fighters Against Terrorism -- ARPFAT -- have been encircled in their strong-holds. The principal antagonist against members of the ARPFAT in this episode of fighting, businessman/Islamic Court financier Abucar Omar Adani (a major shipper and distributor of food assistance for WFP), is now in control of all areas critical to his and the Banadir Corporation business cartel's commercial operations out of the El Ma'an port. The members of the ARPFAT have seen their income generating capabilities crippled, although Adaani has stated that he has now established security over the El Ma'an port infrastructure for the use of all Somali business interests. DONOR RESPONSE UPDATE: A drought committee in Mogadishu announced on January 30, 2006 that it had raised Dollars 165,000 in cash, 444 MT of assorted food donations, and 15 water tankers. The donations were raised through an innovative telethon coordinated through three local telephone companies and organized jointly by the Somali Institute of Management and Administration Development (SIMAD) and Radio Horn Afrik in collaboration with a wide number of civil society representatives. Sixty percent of contributors were from women and most donations were from Mogadishu. UPDATE ON THE FOOD SECURITY SITUATION AND OUTLOOK: FEWSNET reports localized rains in parts of Lower Juba, Bay and Gedo. However, while they providd some very short-term relief, they were not enough to slow a deteriorating food security situation, and people are resorting to their own coping mechanisms such as reducing the number of meals, eating wild fruits, and moving to IDP/destitute camps and urban centers. Complete out migration to main towns for social support and labor were also reported. There has been an increase in the slaughtering of weak and newly born animals. FEWSNET estimates that 80 percent of the cattle, and 40 - 50 percent of sheep and goats have died. The Somalia FEWSNET Representative traveled to Gedo to investigate reports of human deaths. He estimates that 20 - 45 people died (about one-half of them children) from a combination of malnutrition, related disease, and thirst. The FEWSNET Representative said that most of the deaths occurred in nomadic households who are far from roads and villages, and likely missed food aid distributions. He also said food aid distributions by WFP, CARE, ICRC, Muslim aid, and the business community are in progress, although quantities are not sufficient (he mentioned one bag of sorghum and some oil per household) for the level of need. OTHER TOPICS OF SPECIAL INTEREST: We understand funding has been approved for 24 FEWSNET monitors in Somalia to collect market and rainfall data. This is welcome news, although we still highlight the need for supplemental funding to enhance analysis and travel by the FEWS/Somalia office based in Nairobi. Already, the rumor mill is churning with reports of deaths and communities not receiving food aid. Without the ability to separate truth from rumor, there will be imbalances in the humanitarian response, which are likely to lead to increased attacks on humanitarian deliveries and further jeopardize the provision of assistance to those in need. We request rapid consideration of FEWSNET Somalia's request for funding to monitor the nearly Dollars 60 million in FY 06 USG humanitarian assistance to date. It is critical to have independent humanitarian assistance monitoring capacity in Somalia, whether through FEWSNET or another body. Access is becoming more challenging for food aid agencies. On March 21, clan fighting broke out at a WFP distribution site outside Bualla in the Juba region killing one person. An ICRC relief convoy was attacked in Belet Weyne, and there was at least one casualty. Following these security incidents, the UN Security Office has advised that expatriate staff should stay out of the Juba Valley - the exact area most affected by the drought where food aid is needed. ¶6. DJIBOUTI UPDATE ON THE HUMANITARIAN/DIPLOMATIC FRONT: Increasing numbers of pastoralists face a high risk of dropping out of pastoralism due to progressive erosion of their livestock assets. Malnutrition levels from clinics and rapid assessments are high with fatality rates exacerbated by the poor state of health services. DONOR RESPONSE UDPATE: WFP plans to feed up to 88,000 people in April. The humanitarian response if kept at that level and well targeted is expected to be sufficient to prevent the humanitarian situation from deteriorating. UPDATE ON THE FOOD SECURITY SITUATION AND OUTLOOK: Recent showers have resulted in marginal improvements in water and pasture, and satellite images indicate some `greening' between February and March as a result of these showers. There have also been reports of actual rains during this period to corroborate the satellite information. However, these rains are considered insufficient to make any significant improvements in the food security situation. There have been no major increases in market prices of food and other consumable commodities in the city. A stable situation in the city usually has positive implications for rural households who receive remittances from city relatives. -------------- CONCLUSION -------------- ¶7. As this report describes, drought is deepening across the Horn of Africa causing increasing numbers of pastoralist "drop-outs", or those who have lost all their animals, to become dependent on humanitarian assistance for survival. Current humanitarian assistance, especially non-food activities, has not been adequate to protect livelihoods. In the best case scenario that some rains fall over the next several months, it is unlikely they will reverse the deteriorating food security situation and will likely cause water borne diseases and mortality among weakened humans and animals. Given that forecasts show a high probability of normal to below normal rains, donors should mobilize now and prepare for the worst. As one of the Kenya's tribal saying goes, "Koth en chiemo' which means `Rain is food'. BELLAMY