Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NAIROBI1956
2006-05-05 06:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Nairobi
Cable title:  

DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOMALIA DROUGHT

Tags:  EAID SO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0005
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNR #1956/01 1250652
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 050652Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1495
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 8498
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 4176
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1676
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4918
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 6944
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3918
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS NAIROBI 001956 

SIPDIS

AIDAC AFDROUGHT


SIPDIS

STATE FOR NGAREY
STATE PASS TO USAID/W
USAID/W FOR AA/DCHA, WGARVELINK, LROGERS
DCHA/OFDA FOR GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS, CGOTTSCHALK,
KCHANNELL
DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN, MANDERSON
AFR/EA FOR JBORNS
USUN FOR EMALY
ADDIS ABABA FOR JAUGSBERGER
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER
ROME FOR FODAG
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH
NSC FOR JMELINE, TSHORTLEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID SO
SUBJECT: DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOMALIA DROUGHT
EMERGENCY


Summary

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001956

SIPDIS

AIDAC AFDROUGHT


SIPDIS

STATE FOR NGAREY
STATE PASS TO USAID/W
USAID/W FOR AA/DCHA, WGARVELINK, LROGERS
DCHA/OFDA FOR GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS, CGOTTSCHALK,
KCHANNELL
DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN, MANDERSON
AFR/EA FOR JBORNS
USUN FOR EMALY
ADDIS ABABA FOR JAUGSBERGER
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER
ROME FOR FODAG
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH
NSC FOR JMELINE, TSHORTLEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID SO
SUBJECT: DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOMALIA DROUGHT
EMERGENCY


Summary


1. To date, donor governments and agencies, including
USAID, have contributed over 87.8 million U.S. Dollars
(USD) towards the United Nations (U.N.) humanitarian
appeal for the drought emergency in Somalia, in
addition to more than 60.0 million USD outside the
appeal. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2006, USAID has provided
over 84.1 million USD in food and non-food assistance
for drought relief in Somalia. However, U.N. agencies
report funding shortfalls of 60 to 95 percent. The
rainy season has begun in Somalia and many donors are
waiting to see how the rains progress before allocating
further funding. Regardless of the rains, humanitarian
assistance will be required in Somalia through 2006 to
mitigate the effects of and recover from the current
drought, as well as to build resiliency to future
climatic shocks. End summary.

U.N. Appeal for Somalia


2. On March 21, the U.N. released the revised
Consolidated Appeal (CAP) for Somalia. The revised CAP
seeks nearly 327 million USD, up from the original
appeal of 176 million USD requested in November 2005.
The increase reflects additional food and non-food
requirements to address the needs of 2.1 million food
insecure and drought-affected people in southern and
central Somalia, as well as the estimated 400,000
internally displaced persons throughout the country.


3. On April 7, the U.N. launched a Regional
Humanitarian Appeal for the Greater Horn of Africa in
Nairobi requesting nearly 426 million USD, which
includes the Somalia-specific appeal.

Contributions to U.N. Appeal


4. Of the 327 million USD requested by the Somalia
CAP, approximately 13 million USD, or 15 percent, is
covered by carryover contributions. In addition, the
U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated
10 million USD to the regional CAP, of which 2.4
million USD is earmarked for Somalia-specific programs.


5. According to the U.N. Coordination for Humanitarian
Assistance (OCHA) Financial Tracking System, as of May

3, the U.N. has received 87.8 million USD in funding,
including carryover and CERF contributions, covering
approximately 27 percent of the total requirements for
Somalia. The USG is the largest donor to the Somalia
CAP with approximately 45.8 million USD in
contributions to food and non-food sectors.


6. Other major donors include Norway (8.9 million
USD),the United Kingdom (5.5 million USD),Sweden (4.4
million USD),Ireland (1.6 million USD),Netherlands
(1.4 million USD),and Italy (1.3 million USD). Eight
other donors contributed an additional 3.4 million USD.


7. Approximately 79 percent of contributions (69.7
million USD) is earmarked for food assistance through
the U.N. World Food Program (WFP),covering 40 percent
of food requirements between January and December 2006.
USAID's Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) is the
largest contributor of food assistance to Somalia. In
FY 2006 to date, USAID/FFP provided 48,350 metric tons
(MT) of emergency food aid to WFP, valued at
approximately 33.3 million USD.



8. Non-food sectors have received substantially less
financial support than the food sector. Total
contributions to non-food sectors to date amount to
18.0 million USD. Donors have contributed (in
millions) 2.0 USD for coordination and support
services, covering 19 percent of requirements; 2.4 USD
for protection, human rights, and rule of law (14
percent covered); 2.7 for security (10 percent
covered); and 2.6 USD for health (9 percent covered).
The agriculture sector received 926,230 USD and the
water and sanitation received 735,186 USD, covering 5
and 6 percent of requirements, respectively.


9. In FY 2006 to date, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign
Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) provided 700,000 USD
to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for
nutritional surveillance and 1.2 million USD to the
U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) for emergency water and
sanitation interventions throughout Somalia.


10. In addition to the 87.8 million USD in
contributions, the U.N. has received pledges from
donors for 11.2 million USD for programming in
agriculture, security, water and sanitation, and food
assistance.

Other Contributions


11. In addition to contributions towards the Somalia
CAP, donors provide funding to non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) and international organizations
(IOs). In FY 2006 to date, USAID/OFDA has provided
nearly 900,000 USD to three implementing partners to
carry out nutrition, water and sanitation, and food
security programming in drought-affected regions in
southern and central Somalia. USAID/OFDA is currently
reviewing proposals from NGOs for additional
interventions in the most affected regions. USAID/FFP
has provided 54,000 MT of food assistance, valued at
more than 48.1 million USD, to CARE for distribution in
southern and central Somalia.


12. According to the OCHA Financial Tracking System,
donors have pledged more than 14.1 million USD to NGOs
and IOs operating in Somalia. [Note: Donations to
NGOs and IOs are input into the OCHA Financial Tracking
System on a voluntary basis by donors. Not all
contributions are captured by the system.] The largest
recipient of pledges is the International Committee of
the Red Cross (ICRC) with a total of 8.9 million USD,
including 6.8 million USD from the United Kingdom, 1.1
million USD from Australia, and 929,204 USD from
Norway.


13. Another major donor in the current response is the
Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission
(ECHO). ECHO has 5.0 million USD for drought-specific
emergency interventions and an additional 45.4 million
USD for longer-term drought recovery and mitigation
programming in Somalia.

Donor Intentions


14. Donors responded quickly to early warnings on
drought and the U.N. Appeal for Somalia. In recent
discussions with USAID, donors stated that they are
waiting to see how the current rainy season progresses
before allocating additional funds to drought

programming in Somalia. If the rains are good, then
funding will be directed towards recovery; however, if
the rains end early and the harvest fails, additional
emergency assistance will be required to avert famine
conditions. Regardless of the performance of the rainy
season, the humanitarian community agrees that
assistance will be needed in Somalia at least through

2006.

Local Somali Initiatives


15. Not all contributions to the drought response have
come from foreign actors. According to USAID/REDSO
partner Warn-torn Societies Project (WSP)
International, civil society in Somalia has responded
to the drought by mobilizing resources in Mogadishu and
among the Somali diaspora. Civil society groups have
raised more than 230,000 USD and local civic leaders
have contributed 500 MT of food. In addition,
Mogadishu businessmen donated eight water trucks and
the Mogadishu drought committee rented seven more for
water trucking operations in southern districts. USAID
has also received reports of local Muslim aid societies
providing assistance to drought-affected communities in
Somalia.


16. The general public has also been mobilized. WSP
International reports that on February 17, the Somali
Institute of Management and Administration Development
(SIMAD),a local non-profit educational institute,
organized a one-time fundraising event in collaboration
with major radio and telecommunications companies.
During the four-hour radio program, listeners pledged
more than 70,000 USD in cash, plus donations in gold,
food, and clothing.

Conclusions


17. Rains have begun to fall in southern and central
Somalia; however, it is too soon to determine the full
impact of the current rainy season on the drought-
affected communities there. However, regardless of the
performance of the rains, humanitarian assistance and
donor commitment will be required at least through the
end of 2006 to aid the recovery process.


18. Donors have already provided significant financial
support for immediate drought relief. While many
donors are currently taking a cautious "wait and see"
stance before allocating further assistance, most agree
that continued support is needed to mitigate the impact
of the current drought, as well as to build resilience
within the most vulnerable populations through long-
term development assistance.

BELLAMY