Ethiopia: Humanitarian Response Situation Report No.18 (March 2018)

This report has been prepared under the auspices of the Federal Disaster Risk Management Technical Working Group, co-chaired by the National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) and OCHA with participation of cluster co-chairs (Government Line Ministries and Cluster Coordinators). It covers the period from 1 March to 31 March 2018.

Highlights

• The HDRP seeks US$1.658 billion to address food needs for 7.88 million people and non-food needs in 2018.

• The Government and partners prepared a list of prioritized, time-bound requirements ahead of the HDRP launch to facilitate informed and timely donor decision to avert operational breaks in emergency response due to financial shortages.

• As of 14 March 2018, the 2018 HDRP was 31 per cent funded, including $182 million Government allocation and $111 million committed by international donors. Taking into account the $215 million carry-over resources from 2017, this leaves a gap of $1 billion.

Situation Overview

Government and partners launch the Humanitarian and Disaster Resilience Plan for 2018

On 13 March, the Government and humanitarian partners launched the Ethiopia Humanitarian and Disaster Resilience Plan (HDRP) for 2018. Based on findings of the November/December 2017 national multi-agency and multi-sector meher needs assessment, the document outlines prioritized plans in relief food, nutrition, water and sanitation (WaSH), health, education, protection, agriculture and shelter and non-food items in the affected areas, as well as mitigating and preparedness opportunities.

Most of the 2017 humanitarian needs are carried over into 2018 given insufficient recovery opportunities and the still dire condition of vulnerable communities due to the impact of successive drought, mainly in the south and south eastern Ethiopia, compounded by recent spikes in conflict-induced displacements.

The HDRP seeks US$1.658 billion to reach 7.88 million people with emergency food/cash. In addition, 3.4 million households are in need of livestock support; 3.5 million moderately malnourished children and pregnant and breastfeeding women and 350,000 severely malnourished children are expected to require emergency nutrition support; 6.9 million people are without safe drinking water; 1.5 million internally displaced people require shelter and non-food item support; 6.5 million people require emergency health interventions; 2.2 million children need support to continue their education; and some 300,000 vulnerable people need protection assistance, mainly in displacement settings. The use of cash transfer programming (CTP) is expected to be explored and further expanded based on market analysis in 2018, particularly to address the humanitarian needs of the conflict-induced IDPs. The use of multipurpose cash (MPC) has proven to be an effective response mechanism in meeting the needs of displaced population, particularly for those displaced from and to urban areas.

Immediate, time-bound priorities: Released on 23 February, ahead of the HDRP launch, the Immediate Funding Priorities Document1 outlined priority funding gaps for the first six months of 2018. With this document, the Government and humanitarian partners had called on urgent donor funding to avert operational breaks in emergency response due to financial shortages. Without urgent additional funding, humanitarian partners risk pulling out from critical hotspot areas discontinuing lifesaving activities.

The pipeline for specialized nutritious foods to treat moderate malnutrition in all Priority one districts through targeted supplementary feeding program (TSFP) will rupture from the end of May. WFP has secured $5.4 million (of $39.1 million total requirement) leaving a gap of $33.7 million as an urgent priority to manage 2 rounds (6 months) of TSFP, targeting 1.2 million moderately malnourished children under-5 and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers (PLW) and up to 150,000 moderately malnourished IDP children under-5 and PLWs. Meanwhile, UNICEF immediately requires $14.7 million to secure therapeutic foods (RUTF, therapeutic milks, essential drugs) to support Government treat and manage severe malnutrition (SAM) as well as for technical support for service quality assurance, monitoring and coordination. The current pipeline for SAM management will be exhausted from the end of June. However, a lead time of 4 months is required to secure commodities in-country.

Meanwhile, $50 million (or written pledge to this effect – facilitating the possibility of an internal loan) are immediately required to cover the cost of two rounds of WFP food assistance for 1.8 million people in Somali region.

The prioritized, urgent requirements from overall sector requirements are listed in the box above (NB: some of the sector requirements were adjusted since the release of the prioritization document).