Key Issues

• Drought situation in Borena zone worsening with limited humanitarian response ongoing

• Shortage of water and food displace destitute pastoralists in Somali region

• Government and partners launch the 2017 Humanitarian Requirements Document for Ethiopia

Back-to-back seasons of poor or non-existent rainfall in 2015, exacerbated by the strongest El Niño phenomenon on record in the same year, led to the worst drought in decades in Ethiopia in 2016. While the country continues to respond to residual needs from the past drought, below average rains in the southern and eastern parts of the country caused by the negative Indian Ocean Dipole have has left 5.6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in 2017. Some US$948 million is urgently required to respond to the new humanitarian needs.

Drought situation in Borena zone worsening with limited humanitarian response ongoing

Drought in Borena, pastoral woredas of Guji, West Guji and Bale zones is worsening over the last weeks. Recent assessment of the situation in Borena zone shows that livestock deaths, malnutrition and school dropout continue to increase while the response is generally slow and inadequate. As Government continues to provide food in 8 woredas, it is intensifying effort to ensure food distribution is regular. Government has also been supported by NGOs in five woredas. Government has delivered 136, 053 bales of hay/straw for livestock out of the 5 million planned for six months. From the required half a million de-stocking, NGOs are already in the process to de-stock 10,000 livestock and commercial de-stocking planned by government is yet to be realized. There are only 8 water trucks providing water to seven woredas with gap of 31 trucks. Schools require water trucking and school feeding program to run while also health facilities are in critical need of water trucking. Currently, WFP and government are running school feeding programme in 75 schools whereas additional 135 schools need the service.

Shortage of water and food displace destitute pastoralists in Somali region

As the new drought continues to worsen in Somali region, destitute pastoralist are moving and settling down in temporary sites close to permanent water points. Only limited assistance of food for households and water and livestock feed is for now being given in the displacement sites. The Government is encouraging the pastoralists’ move to concentrate in certain villages and towns to ease response efforts.

Over the last two weeks, nearly 10,000 households were reported displaced and settled in over 45 sites throughout the region, the number of displaced and spontaneous sites expected to increase.
The majority of people in the sites are women and children. Affected populations reported for havinfg lost a majority of their animals, including goats and camels which traditionally used to be drought resistant. The situation is particularly critical Doollo, Korahey, Shebelle and Jaraar zones.

Government and partners launch the 2017 Humanitarian Requirements Document

On 17 January 2017, the Government of Ethiopia and humanitarian partners launched the Humanitarian Requirements Document (HRD) for 2017. The HRD seeks US$948 million to help 5.6 million people with emergency food and non-food assistance, mainly in the southern and eastern parts of the country. Out of the $948 million sought for the 2017 response, $598 million is targeted for relief food, $105 million for nutrition, and $86 million for WaSH needs.The Government of Ethiopia has committed US$47.35 million as a first installment for the 2017 HRD.