UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
Ethiopia Drought - Priority Needs
Indicative List of Urgent Requirements

Ethiopia Drought Emergency


I. Food assistance and related logistics requirements

In its 21 January Relief Appeal the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission indicated that as a result of repeated poor rains a total of 7.7 million people would require food relief assistance during 2000 amounting to 836,800 MT. This estimate, however, assumed a favourable belg cropping season and normal rains in the southern and south-eastern lowlands during March — June and a reduction in food requirements for the second half of the year. As a result of the late start to the belg rains and uncertainties regarding rainfall in pastoral areas, it is anticipated that the number of people requiring continued assistance through the year will now increase. New beneficiary numbers and adjusted food requirements for the second half of the year are expected to be issued by the DPPC following completion of the belg season assessment later this month.

WFP Emergency Operation (EMOP 6218) and appeal for victims for natural disaster in Ethiopia was launched in March 2000 in support of the GoE appeal. The operation was for food assistance amounting to 253,500 MT (217,359 MT cereals and 36,141 MT non-cereals) covering the nine-month period April 1 to December 31, 2000. This EMOP has now been amended to include an additional 2,900 MT of vegetable oil and 600 MT of high energy biscuits.

In addition to appealing for food commodities, the DPPC are also requesting approximately US $7.5 million in donor support for the following food assistance-related interventions:
 
 

  1. Support to the EFSR (pesticides, plastic sheeting and equipment),
  2. Construction of 200 Relief Food Outlets (local warehouses) each of 300 MT capacity
  3. Creation of a Nutrition Coordination Unit within the DPPC (not yet costed)
  4. Deployment of additional vehicles for field monitoring and support

In similar fashion, in addition to seeking direct food assistance in support of Government of Ethiopia relief operations, WFP are seeking donor assistance for a number of logistics-related activities, these are as follows:
 
 

  1. Special Operation to upgrade the Port of Djibouti - $2.6 million
  2. Special Operation for road rehabilitation from Djibouti Port to Ethiopia - $4.6 million
  3. Special Operation for airbridge to transport staff in areas of insecurity - $1.5 million
  4. Logistics Coordination Unit - $727,500
  5. Storage units (27 @ 500 MT and 5 @ 1,500 MT) - $495,000
  6. Djibouti — Ethiopia railroad assessment - $ 23,760

A number of other logistics-related special operations are under preparation.

II. Non-Food Sectors

In addition to addressing the relief food requirements for 2000, the annual DPPC relief appeal launched on January 21 also highlighted various non-food assistance requirements requiring a total of approximately US $31 million. Important highlights are as follows:

  1. Water tankering and construction/rehabilitation of water sources - $4.6 million
  2. Purchase and delivery of 216 emergency health kits - $2.6 million
  3. Purchase and delivery of urgent veterinary medicines - $9.5 million
  4. Support for the Non-Food Contingency Stock - $3.26 million
  5. Support for the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Fund - $9.0 million
  6. Establishment of a strategic national water tankering fleet - $2.25 million
In its own appeal launched on January 28, the UN Country Team placed a similar emphasis on priority interventions in the non-food sectors. The various interventions proposed by the UN agencies have since been reviewed in the light of the worsening humanitarian situation. The following sections summarize the indicative needs within each specific sector:
 
 

Health

A range of urgent interventions are needed in the health sector, targeting drought-affected areas in Somali, Amhara and Oromiya regions. Emphasis is on support for basic health care services, measles vaccination, disease surveillance and reporting, capacity building and provision of essential drugs and medical supplies. In this regard, a total of around US $10.2 million is currently required to support the following priority interventions:

  1. Assistance to improve the coverage of measles vaccination and Vitamin A.
  2. Provision of measles vaccines, needles and syringes, cold chain equipment.
  3. Capacity building of health workers and provision of operational support.
  4. Strengthening national capacities to combat selected priority diseases.
  5. Strengthening epidemiological surveillance and outbreak control mechanisms.
Provision of essential drugs and medical supplies.

Coordination and management of the emergency health response.

Laboratory reagents and supplies (including HIV testing kits).