DJIBOUTI - SOMALI REFUGEE INFLUX EXACERBATES FOOD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000550 STATE FOR AF/E, PRM/AFR, S/CRS AND USAID ADDIS ABABA FOR REFCOORD NAIROBI FOR RDRAPCHO AND REFCOORD GENEVA FOR KPERKINS CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF EAID EAGR SMIG SO ET DJ XA SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI - SOMALI REFUGEE INFLUX EXACERBATES FOOD INSECURITY REF: A) DJIBOUTI 535 B) DJIBOUTI 439 C) DJIBOUTI 437 D) DJIBOUTI 425 (NOTAL) E) DJIBOUTI 223 F) 07 DJIBOUTI 1004 ¶1. SUMMARY: The unforeseen influx of refugees since November 2007 from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea has strained the capacity of the Government of Djibouti (GoDJ) and the two primary international organizations supporting refugees in Djibouti. World Food Program (WFP) struggles to meet the demand of Djibouti's Food shortage. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the National Office of Assistance to Refugees and Disaster Stricken People (ONARS) lack sufficient registration arrangements, including a structured plan to provide new arrivals with complete 15-day food rations, and enough water. The UNHCR has recognized this problem and expressed its needs to improve the situation. They also continue to keep a strong stand on returning repatriated refugees. END SUMMARY. -------------- FOOD INSECURITY -------------- ¶2. On February 13, the Regional Refugee Coordinator (REFCOORD) and post's Refugee Officer met with World Food Program (WFP) Representative Benoit Thiry and UNHCR to discuss WFP's food pipeline in Djibouti. Mr. Thiry explained that the WFP supply was sufficient to feed the current unforeseen refugee influx; however, if problems arise, he plans to borrow food from Ethiopia and/or Yemen. He underscored the need for advance coordination between ONARS and UNHCR with WFP, when food is needed and used at the refugee camp. ¶3. During the April 1 visit of Washington-based Refugee Officer for the Horn of Africa (HOA Refoff),Mr. Thiry changed his assessment of the food supply. He reported that WFP currently awaits a major cash donation from Brussels promised since October, but does not know when to expect the donation to arrive. He blamed himself for not pressuring Brussels for funds. Since it is difficult to store food in Djibouti due to the heat, he decided to give Brussels some time to deliver the money to purchase the food. Mr. Thiry is afraid the funds will not arrive in sufficient time to purchase from regional sources, and unfortunately, WFP does not purchase food from the local market. ¶4. Since November 2007, Djibouti has experienced an influx in refugees and migrants from southern and central Somalia (refs C, E-F),as well as from Ethiopia and Eritrea. This unforeseen influx has strained the GoDJ and UNHCR. Djibouti is a small country that receives aid and assistance from several international donors. Its food security, always fragile because of the dry climate and terrain, has been further jeopardized due to a poor rainy season, and a 35 percent increase in staple food prices (ref E). The combined forces have had substantial negative consequences on pastoral livelihood. -------------- INCOMPLETE FOOD DISTRIBUTION -------------- ¶5. During a March 31 visit to the refugee camp, HOA Refoff witnessed new arrivals receiving incomplete food packages and expressed concerns to the WFP. Although the WFP Country Director was not surprised at this report, he was unaware even that the food distribution was taking place. As he has on previous occasions, Mr. Thiry requested advance notice and proper communication from UNHCR and ONARS to WFP, regarding food distribution for new arrivals. He explained that if UNHCR and ONARS provide WFP with the number of new arrivals expected at the camp, food can be delivered to the camp within 12 hours, prior to their arrival. HOA Refoff also inquired about the possibility of WFP pre-positioning a supply of food at the refugee camp for new arrivals. Mr. Thiry stated that a small buffer of food remains at the camp that could feed up to 200 people. WFP concurred that this food could be used for new arrivals, but that ONARS needs to inform WFP prior to distribution and properly log the use of the food stored in the camp warehouse. WFP is adamantly opposed to a larger buffer stock, since food distribution is controlled by the GoDJ, which lacks proper inventory control to prevent diversion of food assistance. Prompted by the HOA Refoff, UNHCR agreed to take the lead in establishing a working group to improve communication among UNHCR, WFP, and ONARS to ensure that proper levels of food are available and distributed in Ali Addeh camp. DJIBOUTI 00000550 002 OF 002 -------------- UNHCR RESPONSE AND NEEDS -------------- ¶6. UNHCR has developed a favorable working relationship with ONARS. Together, they successfully repatriated many Somaliland refugees in December 2007. UNHCR reports an estimated 1,000 refugees from Somaliland remain at Ali Addeh camp, including over 600 from the ex Hol-Holl camp. These refugees signed up for voluntary repatriation after the end of the aforementioned repatriation; however, UNHCR now lacks the resources to undertake a new repatriation while also handling the current influx. ¶7. During a meeting with UNHCR, REFCOORD highlighted UNHCR's shortfall on protection--the lack of daily presence at Ali Addeh camp. The UNHCR Representative and Senior Protection Officer agreed to come up with a solution. Three weeks later, HOA Refoff witnessed the corrective action taken, as two UNHCR-newly hired master's degree-holders stationed 45 minutes from the camp at Ali Sabieh, have started commuting daily to the camp to work on refugee protection and assistance, with the supervision of the protection unit. (COMMENT: While this is commendable, UNHCR requires support from its regional office to hire at least two more persons for the understaffed protection unit. Furthermore, there is no office available in the camp where protection cases can meet with protection officers in a private setting. END COMMENT.) -------------- PROBLEMS WITH REGISTRATION OF REFUGEES -------------- ¶8. Registration of new arrivals poses a challenge to UNHCR Djibouti. In addition to a staffing shortage, they have technical constraints with the registration software. There are not enough ProGres-loaded laptops to operate the registration, and no technical tools to consolidate the two databases on which this software operates: one based in the City of Djibouti (for registration at the ONARS office),and one at Ali Addeh. With sufficient funding, UNHCR also intends to set up registration facilities at the border point of Loyada, where southern Somali refugees arrive, although no concrete plans have been developed. ¶9. Transportation of refugees from Loyada to Djibouti city and then to Ali Addeh is an added problem. ONARS currently uses two old trucks given by WFP to cover the 130-kilometer distance. As these same trucks are also used to transport food and non-food items from the WFP warehouse to the Ali Addeh camp, extensive use has caused substantial wear and tear on the vehicles, making them increasingly unsafe for human transport. All the refugee agencies and partner organizations would welcome two replacement trucks. -------------- -------------- FORMERLY REPATRIATED REFUGEES RETURNING TO DJIBOUTI -------------- -------------- ¶10. During the February food distribution, the refugee camp's refugee leaders reported the presence of Somalilander refugees who had previously been repatriated attempting to collect food. When the Somalilanders were denied access to the distribution, they responded by throwing stones at the protection team. The individuals were removed from the camp by Djiboutian police. UNHCR filed formal charges against the repatriated refugees and the Djiboutian courts prosecuted the main agitators and warned the remainder. ¶11. COMMENTS: Given the influx of refugees in Djibouti, it is critical for the USG to send an assessment team from the USAID and the Population, Refugee, and Migration to develop a strategy for feeding and supporting the international organizations and the GoDJ in relieving the situation. Meanwhile, UNHCR Djibouti needs to ensure that the recently started daily camp presence of protection staff at Ali Addeh continues through regular visits by staff from the capital. It needs to arrange with the regional office in Nairobi or headquarters in Geneva to receive qualified additional personnel to resolve its staffing issues in the protection and other sections. Additional manpower would also enable UNHCR to screen and register new arrivals faster and allow it to catch up with existing registration backlogs at Ali Addeh camp. END COMMENT. LIST