SWISS RESPONSE: DONOR SUPPORT FOR ETHIOPIA, KENYA,

UNCLAS BERN 000395 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF EAGR SZ SUBJECT: SWISS RESPONSE: DONOR SUPPORT FOR ETHIOPIA, KENYA, AND SOMALIA REF: A. STATE 70789 ¶B. STATE 96625 ¶1. Econoff delivered reftel A points to Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Regional Coordinator for Northern Subsaharan Africa Urs Beer in July. After consulting with his his colleagues in the Humanitarian Aid Department of the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency (SDC) regarding donor support Beer provided the following response. ¶2. Switzerland agrees with the U.S. analysis concerning the humanitarian needs in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. Beer noted that Switzerland is concerned that in the Horn of Africa, including Kenya and Uganda, approximately 17 million people are in need of food and humanitarian assistance. Switzerland is worried about the shrinking humanitarian space in conflict areas which often is the limiting factor for humanitarian operations. Beer highlighted the situation in Eritrea, in which the Eritrean authorities do not allow food security assessments by specialized agencies. ¶3. In response to these crises, Switzerland increased its budget for humanitarian aid in the region from 10 million CHF in 2007 to 18.2 million CHF in 2008, mostly due to additional allocations related to the food crisis in 2008. However, the implementation of projects in conflict areas proved more challenging, so Switzerland has tried to keep the amount of its budget and interventions in 2009 at the same level reached in 2008. ¶4. Switzerland's budget for the region is mainly allocated for food security and to livelihood support, with a geographic focus on conflict areas and with the target group of the most vulnerable population (IDPs, refugees, women and children). Switzerland also works through partner organizations which are specialized in medical emergency interventions such as the International Red Cross. ¶5. The regional representative of the SDC in Nairobi and Addis Ababa is closely working with the most relevant actors in the Food Security sector such as the World Food Program, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and Swiss and international NGOs. He is also in dialogue with other donors, including the US. In close coordination with these partner organizations, Beer reports that Switzerland is doing its best to respond to the large humanitarian challenges in the Horn of Africa. BEYER