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Ethiopia: Somali Region's Update - Humanitarian Response
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The Reporter (Addis Ababa)
15 December 2007
Posted to the web 17 December 2007
Operations have begun in the two newly established joint UN support offices in Kebridehar and Degehabur towns as of early November. Humanitarian interventions are being further supported by UN presence in Jijiga and Gode towns.
To date, 19 NGOs have been officially accredited to operate in the five zones of military operations. Advocacy for inclusion of more NGOs in the list is ongoing. The seasonal assessment in the region has been completed and results are being finalized. A separate Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA) led inter-agency rapid nutrition assessment started in early December in Fik and Korahe zones. This most recent humanitarian update for Somali Regional State is prepared by the Humanitarian Coordinator and OCHA head office in Addis Ababa.
Humanitarian Overview/Context
The humanitarian situation within the military operational area continues to be of concern. Early warning reports indicate that the deyr rains (main rainy season) have failed in large areas of the seven receiving zones of Degehabur, Korahe, Warder, Gode, Afder, Liben and Fik. Crop production has significantly declined and early livestock migration is reported in some zones. This coupled with continued low levels of commercial and livestock trade is likely to have a negative impact on the already fragile livelihoods of the population. The karan rains, however, performed relatively better in Shinile and Jijiga zones. The multi-agency seasonal team led by DPPA is currently in the region to assess needs and identify beneficiaries in need of emergency assistance.
In response to a recommendation from the September UN inter-agency mission for increased humanitarian assistance to the Somali region, two UN field offices were established in Kebridehar and Degehabur on 7 and 8 November, respectively. While there has been some progress in the provision of food and medical supplies to certain areas outside of major towns, access limitations to monitor dispatches and distributions continues to hinder humanitarian response in some areas.
In Kebridehar and Jijiga towns, the security situation appears quiet. Limited coverage of the entire military operational area makes a first-hand accounting of the general security situation in the region impossible.
The UNCT is discussing with the Government the implementation of actions agreed between the highest authorities at federal level, in particular the Prime minister, and the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) during his recent visit. In particular, discussions are ongoing on ways to increase access for NGOs to operate in the five zones of military operation.
Access
The Federal Government has officially cleared 19 NGOs to operate in the five zones affected by military operations, and has requested NGOs to provide a list of staff that will be deployed to the area in support of the recommendations made by the UN during the September mission. The Somali Regional State authorities have requested similar documentation. The regional government has made a number of welcomed initiatives to speed up the process, including provision of letters to facilitate travel. While some of these NGOs are already operational, others are now in the region, finalizing preparations to commence operations.
Whilst in Korahe area access is not a major issue for most humanitarian partners, more efforts and negotiations are ongoing to increase accessibility and coverage of operations, including monitoring of food and drugs dispatches. Access to Fik and Warder for food aid monitoring of dispatches and arrivals has thus far been limited. Agreement has also not yet been reached for mobile health teams to operate in the five zones.
On 15 November, WFP set-up an air passenger operation, United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), to the Somali region to facilitate access for UN and NGO staff, as well as Government partners and donors. UNHAS flights serve Gode, Jijiga and Kebridehar twice a week. Since the 15 November, there have been 7 UNHAS flights to the Somali region, which have carried 47 passengers and 1.5 MT of cargo. On 10 December, UNHAS flights were suspended by the carrier until further notice due to technical problems. Ethiopian Airlines has also resumed regular flights to Kebridehar town twice a week.
Markets and Market Activity
An increase in the number of military-escorted commercial truck convoys along the Jijiga-Degehabur-Kebridehar corridor has been noted. During November, two to three convoys accompanied by military escort were observed compared with one convoy per month reportedly passing through the area during the previous four to five months. This commercial trade appears only to benefit larger villages near the main roads. Efforts are put in place to gather full understanding of the complete extent of commercial trade in the region. The UN is monitoring prices of basic commodities and livestock in local markets and prices of commercial food, however, are reported by the UN to have increased during the past month, particularly for imported food.
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Sectoral Response
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