SOMALI REGION UPDATE: HUMANITARIAN

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 001317


STATE DEPARTMENT AF/E, AF/PDPA, OES, AND PRM/AFR
USAID for AFR EGAST, CTHOMPSON
DCHA/AA SCROMER
DCHA/OFDA PMORRIS, KCHANNELL
DCHA/FFP JDWORKEN, PMOHAN
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER
CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, RTILSWORTH, AND LPANASUK
NAIROBI FOR OFDA/ECARO JMYER, GPLATT, RFFPO NCOX
USMISSION UN ROME FOR RNEWBERG
NEW YORK FOR DMERCADO
USEU FOR PBROWN
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH, RMA
NSC FOR CPRATT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PHUM SENV EAGR PGOV ET
SUBJECT: SOMALI REGION UPDATE: HUMANITARIAN
COORDINATION AND ACCESS ISSUES

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. USAID officials attended the Regional
Humanitarian Coordination meeting on May 25 in
Jijiga town (Jijiga Zone, Somali Region). Points of
discussion were the poor performance of the main
April to June rains, the soon-to-be released
nutrition survey for five districts of the Somali
Region, recommendations for improved non-
governmental organization (NGO) performance based on
the findings of a Disaster Prevention and
Preparedness Bureau (DPPB) quick assessment, and the
start in late June of a multi-agency assessment to
determine the food needs of the region for the next
six months.


2. On May 24, the Acting President of the Somali
National Regional State (SNRS) released draft
guidelines for NGOs to obtain a blanket six-month
clearance in their areas of operation. While USAID
officials welcomed the procedures, questions arose
as to the capacity of the relevant SNRS offices to
implement their responsibilities in the process
within the stated two-week timeline. End summary.

--------------
Background
--------------


3. In an effort to alleviate long-standing
humanitarian assistance bottlenecks in the Somali
Region, the U.S. Ambassador, former USAID Director,
UN Humanitarian Coordinator, and USAID Senior Policy
Advisor met with the newly appointed SNRS President
and his senior staff on March 5, 2009 to encourage
better access for all humanitarian actors based on
transparent procedures and improved coordination and
dialogue with NGOs. This resulted in the formation
of a monthly "Humanitarian Forum" by the Regional
President which met in Jijiga on April 3 and May 25.
A smaller sub-group was formed with USAID, NGO and
UN representative to negotiate formal, clear and
transparent procedures for humanitarian access which
culminated in the presentation on May 24 of the
draft procedures now under discussion.

--------------
Jijiga Humanitarian Coordination Meeting
--------------


4. USAID officials, including the Acting Mission
Director, the Senior Policy Advisor and the
USAID/Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
(OFDA) Senior Program Officer attended the monthly
Humanitarian Coordination meeting in Jijiga (Jijiga
Zone, Somali Region) on May 25. The meeting,
coordinated by UN OCHA, was chaired by the Acting
Regional President of the SNRS. Participants also
included the UN Humanitarian Coordinator,
representatives from international and local NGOs,
UN agencies, and SNRS officers including the new
SNRS Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) and the head of
the DPPB. USAID officials noted that participation
in this forum has increased dramatically not only in
the number of participants but also the level of GoE
representation, and has become a much improved forum
for active and constructive dialogue between the
humanitarian community and SNRS officials.

--- Rainfall Pattern and Seasonal Assessment --


5. The SNRS HC reported that the primary seasonal
rains from April to June have thus far been sporadic
and insufficient. While the rains started on time
they ceased early in most parts of the Somali
Region. The SNRS HC noted that even if the rains
fell within the next two weeks, they would be too
late for planting in the agro-pastoral areas,
although beneficial for pasture generation. The
SNRS HC stated that a seasonal multi-agency
assessment will take place in late June to determine
the food needs for the next six months. The SNRS HC
emphasized the critical role played by the World
Food Program (WFP) especially considering the
challenges faced by the world food price crisis.

-- Nutrition Survey --


6. A multi-agency nutrition survey covering five
districts in the Somali Region was recently
concluded and the results will be released shortly
pending review from the Federal Ministry of Health,
according to the Acting Regional President who
stated that the next step would require the
humanitarian community to "be prepared and work
together" to respond to assessed needs.


7. USAID/Ethiopia has received unofficial reports
from survey participants stating that global acute
malnutrition (GAM) rates in some districts are at
the emergency threshold level of 15 percent and
higher than 20 percent in some cases. These
percentages are especially worrisome since the
assessment was conducted at a time when malnutrition
rates should be at their lowest and considering that
most of the Somali Region now enters the long dry
season when malnutrition rates traditionally spike
upwards.

-- DPPB Assessment of NGO Performance --


8. The head of the DPPB reported results from a
rapid assessment of NGO performance in parts of the
Somali Region pointing out areas where improvement
is needed. While acknowledging that some NGOs
provide a great service to the region, he noted that
many did not coordinate fully with the appropriate
line bureaus; engaged in too much "soft" (training)
instead of "hard" (boreholes, for example)
interventions; and that some activities were not
adequately coordinated with his office resulting in
interventions that did not reflect the priorities of
the SNRS. In addition, the DPPB head reported that
NGOs were not sufficiently engaged in critical
interventions such as de-stocking and fodder
provision, and that some NGOs request project
extensions from the donors without consulting the
SNRS.


9. Participants, including the UNICEF
Representative, noted that such assessments would
carry more "weight" and be more effective if they
were sector-based and encompassed a multi-agency
approach utilizing staff from the various UN
clusters and NGOs.

-- The Need for Capacity Building --


10. The Acting Regional President and the SNRS HC
repeatedly stressed the need for capacity building
support to the DPPB and office of the SNRS HC in
order to monitor and evaluate NGO performance more
effectively. This includes both human resource and
logistical support. USAID/Ethiopia is investigating
various options and believes that increased
monitoring and evaluation will help alleviate
suspicions of NGO activities and therefore lead to
greater access and flexibility of operations. USAID
is providing support for strategic planning at the
regional level through its partner the International
City Managers' Association (ICMA)

-- Health --


11. The Acting Regional President stated that while
the number of measles cases reported was "not
alarming" potential measles outbreak remains a
concern noting that children are especially
vulnerable in time of food insecurity.

--------------
Guidelines for Blanket Operational Clearance
--------------


12. On May 24, the Acting Regional President
presented draft procedures for NGOs to follow to
obtain blanket six-month travel clearances in their
areas of operation within the five conflict zones of
the Somali Region. Participants included key NGOs,
heads of UN agencies and donors, including USAID
officials. The draft procedures require NGOs to
submit their proposed activities and staff details
to the SNRS HC, DPPB and appropriate line bureaus
for decisions on the appropriateness of the
interventions and whether they accurately reflect
the priorities of the SNRS. The Acting Regional
President stated that the procedures have been fully
vetted and approved by the Ethiopian National
Defense Force (ENDF) and the Regional Head of
Security.


13. While USAID/Ethiopia welcomes this positive
step towards increased transparency and clarity in
the clearance process, several concerns remain
including whether the process culminating in blanket
clearance approval can be completed within the
stated two-week timeline and whether the final
clearance letter signed by the Office of the
Regional President will "carry weight" with the
military and local officials at the zonal and woreda
level. A second draft is currently under review by
a small NGO and UN task force.

--------------
Conclusion
--------------


14. The initial intervention of the U.S. Ambassador
and former USAID Director has been critical in the
establishment of the monthly humanitarian meeting
leading to more fruitful dialogue and coordination
between SNRS officials and the humanitarian
community. USAID/Ethiopia, including USAID/OFDA,
will continue to attend these meetings and monitor
the humanitarian situation with special emphasis on
the food security situation and required
interventions.


15. USAID/Ethiopia, including USAID/OFDA, supports
the request for capacity building of the DPPB and
the office of the SNRS HC to improve monitoring and
evaluation in order to lessen SNRS suspicion of NGOs
and thereby increase flexibility and timeliness of
NGO interventions.


16. USAID/Ethiopia welcomes the issuance of the
draft access clearance guidelines but will monitor
the stated two-week timeline for approval of the
blanket clearance requests noting that humanitarian
assistance will be increasingly needed as
malnutrition rates rise throughout the dry season.

YAMAMOTO