SOMALIA FY 2010 DISASTER REDECLARATION

UNCLAS NAIROBI 002079 AIDAC USAID/DCHA FOR JBRAUSE DCHA/OFDA FOR ACONVERY, KCHANNELL, APIYAKA DCHA/FFP FOR JBORNS, JDWORKEN, SANTHONY, CMUTAMBA, PMOHAN,DNELSON AFR/EA STATE FOR AF/E, AF/F AND PRM USUN FOR DMERCADO ROME FOR HSPANOS BRUSSELS FOR PBROWN GENEVA FOR NKYLOH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PHUM PREL PREF SO SUBJECT: SOMALIA FY 2010 DISASTER REDECLARATION CORRECTED COPY -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU),nearly 3.8 million people require humanitarian assistance in Somalia, representing 50 percent of the total population and a 17 percent increase since January 2009. The combined effects of consecutive seasons of failed or poor rainfall, conflict, high food prices, significant population displacement, and diarrheal disease outbreaks have severely exacerbated food insecurity and resulted in increased malnutrition rates throughout Somalia. Humanitarian organizations are also expecting enhanced rains associated with El Nino conditions during the upcoming October to December rainy season to result in flooding, reduced access, and increased incidences of human and livestock water-related diseases. It is in the interest of the U.S. Government (USG) to provide humanitarian funding, the situation is beyond the capacity of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to manage and the Somali people will continue to accept USG assistance. Ambassador Michael Ranneberger therefore re-declares a disaster for the complex humanitarian emergency in Somalia and requests the continued provision of disaster assistance in fiscal year 2010. End summary. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. According to FSNAU, nearly 3.8 million Somalis require humanitarian assistance through December 2009. The total includes approximately 1.4 million rural, drought-affected individuals; an estimated 655,000 urban poor confronting high food and non-food prices; and nearly 1.6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). ¶3. The majority of affected populations are concentrated in central Somalia, accounting for approximately 75 percent of the total population in need of humanitarian assistance. Middle Shabelle, Mudug, Galgadud, and Hiran regions represent the largest concentrations of affected populations. However, FSNAU notes the presence of deteriorating food security and nutrition conditions among pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in northern areas, as well. ¶4. In the context of escalating insecurity and civil conflict, FSNAU also highlights the potential for a further deterioration in humanitarian conditions and increased impediments and access restrictions confronting response efforts in the coming months. -------------- AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY -------------- ¶5. Despite a normal gu season harvest in most southern agricultural areas, results of the 2009 post gu assessment indicate deteriorating food security conditions throughout Somalia. According to the USAID- supported Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET),poor or failed April to June gu rains in 70 percent of the country, combined with previous rain failure, have led to deteriorating food security and intensifying drought conditions in Hiran, Galgadud, Nugal, Sool, Sanaag, Togdheer, and Mudug regions. In addition, FEWS NET reports that insecurity along the road linking southern and central regions is expected to hamper cereal flows from southern regions to cereal- deficient areas in central and northern Somalia. ¶6. In addition, FSNAU reported poor gu rains in parts of Lower Juba Region, as well as northern Gedo and Bakool regions. FSNAU projects a 70 percent decline in crop production below the five-year average in the northern regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, and Togdheer. In northern pastoral areas, humanitarian agencies have also expressed concern regarding deteriorating livestock conditions and milk production due to significant water and pasture shortages. ¶7. High prices also continue to negatively affect food access and increase food insecurity throughout Somalia. Although FSNAU reported local cereal prices 40 to 60 percent lower in June than the same time period in 2008 in southern regions of Somalia, prices remain significantly above long-term averages. FSNAU notes that the positive impact of declining food prices and improving labor opportunities have been undermined by reduced remittance flows associated with the global economic downturn. -------------- HEALTH AND NUTRITION -------------- ¶8. Findings from 33 recent FSNAU nutritional surveys conducted as part of the 2009 Somalia post gu seasonal assessment confirm critical malnutrition conditions in central and southern Somalia, as well as parts of northwest and northeast regions. According to FSNAU, approximately one in five children is acutely malnourished and one in 20 is severely malnourished in Somalia, with a national median global acute malnutrition rate of 19 percent, significantly above the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) emergency threshold of 15 percent. Currently, FSNAU estimates that 285,000 children under the age of five in Somalia are acutely malnourished, including 70,000 severely malnourished children requiring nutrition interventions. ¶9. FSNAU identified high morbidity, disease outbreaks, limited access to basic services, and poor child care practices as major contributing factors to elevated malnutrition conditions. Inadequate water and sanitation services represent a significant underlying cause of increased disease outbreaks and malnutrition. According to FSNAU, only an estimated 11.3 percent of the rural population has access to adequate levels of safe water and 12.6 percent has access to safe sanitation facilities, resulting in widespread prevalence of diarrhea in young children. -------------- POPULATION DISPLACEMENT -------------- ¶10. Since an escalation in renewed conflict beginning in early May, fighting has displaced more than 250,000 individuals as of August 21, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Recent gu assessment results report a revised IDP displacement total of approximately 1.3 million individuals since February 2007, in addition to an estimated 275,000 longer-term IDPs. -------------- SECURITY AND ACCESS -------------- ¶11. Conflict and increased attacks targeting aid agencies have led to temporary suspensions in activities and diminishing access, hindering the delivery of humanitarian assistance to IDPs and conflict-affected populations. According to the U.N., as of August 19, assailants had killed 42 aid workers and abducted 33 others in Somalia since January 2008. In addition, an increase in armed militia group attacks against UN and NGO compounds in recent months has resulted in the seizure of humanitarian assets and relocation of aid staff. The volatile and fluid environment of southern and central Somalia continues to restrict humanitarian access and undermine response efforts. -------------- Potential Flooding -------------- ¶12. FEWS NET reports an increased likelihood of near to above-normal rainfall for most of Somalia during the next October to December deyr rains positively impacting agriculture and food security but also potentially resulting in flooding, reduced access, and increased incidences of human and livestock water- related diseases, including Rift Valley Fever, peste des petits ruminants (PPR),and cholera. In addition, heavy rains would exacerbate poor shelter conditions among IDPs. -------------- DISASTER REDECLARATION -------------- ¶13. As a result of the current and projected humanitarian needs in Somalia, I declare that a complex humanitarian emergency continues to exist due to ongoing insecurity and civil conflict, inter-clan fighting, disease outbreaks, population displacement, flooding potential, food insecurity, and livelihood deterioration. The situation exceeds the capacity of the TFG and local authorities to effectively respond. It is in the interest of the USG to provide humanitarian assistance and the Somali people will accept continued USG support. Therefore, activities that address urgent humanitarian needs and seek to reduce the risk and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable populations should be eligible for USG disaster funding in FY 2010. RANNEBERGER