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USAID Information:
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Somalia – Complex Emergency
October 28, 2009
Situation Report #1, Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 (PDF, 50kb)
Background
Since 1991, widespread violence, endemic poverty, recurrent droughts, and floods have generated a complex emergency
in Somalia. From December 2006 to January 2009, fighting between the Somalia Transitional Federal Government
(TFG), backed by Ethiopian forces, and armed militias opposed to the TFG led to a further deterioration in humanitarian
conditions. Following January 2009 Ethiopian troop withdrawals, conflict between armed militia groups in Somalia
continues to displace populations and limit access to affected areas. As a result, approximately 530,000 Somali
refugees have fled the country and nearly 1.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), including long-term IDPs and
individuals displaced by increased fighting since February 2007, remain uprooted within Somalia.
On September 29, 2009, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit
(FSNAU) reported that more than 3.6 million people require humanitarian assistance in Somalia through December
2009, representing a 13 percent increase since January 2009 and between 37 and 48 percent of the total estimated
population of between 7.5 and 9.8 million people. The combined effects of consecutive seasons of failed or poor
rainfall, conflict, rising inflation, displacement, and diarrheal disease outbreaks have severely exacerbated food
insecurity and resulted in a significant increase in acute malnutrition rates. U.N. and partner agencies are coordinating
efforts to improve access, but insecurity and targeted attacks against relief staff hinder the provision of emergency
assistance to affected populations.
On October 1, 2009, U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael E. Ranneberger redeclared a disaster in Somalia due to the
complex emergency. In FY 2009, the U.S. Government (USG) provided more than $150 million for humanitarian
assistance programs in Somalia, including more than $9 million in USAID/OFDA funding to support agriculture and
food security, economic recovery and market systems, health, nutrition, protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene
(WASH) interventions.
NUMBERS AT A GLANCE
| Total Population in Need of Emergency Assistance |
3.64 million |
FSAU – Aug. 2009 |
| IDPs in Somalia |
1.5 million1 |
FSNAU – Sep. 2009 |
| Somali Refugees in East and Central Africa |
530,000 |
UNHCR2 – September 2009 |
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Current Situation
Due to the presence of an El Niño weather
phenomenon, the USAID-supported Famine Early
Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) expects
normal to above-normal October to December rainfall
to improve water and pasture availability in some areas
of northern and central Somalia. However, FEWS
NET does not expect food security to improve in the
coming months; noting that more than 3.6 million
people will continue to require humanitarian assistance
through 2009. Of the total population expected to
require emergency assistance, approximately 75
percent—representing 2.7 million people—reside in
south and central Somalia, the areas most affected by
ongoing conflict, population displacement, and limited
humanitarian access.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA) reported the release of three
humanitarian aid workers on October 3. According to
OCHA, armed assailants captured the three relief staff
members in northern Kenya on July 17. To date, ten
aid workers remain in captivity in Somalia.
Security and Populations Movements
Ongoing conflict and insecurity in south and central
Somalia continues to result in displacement and
reduced humanitarian access to affected populations.
Since May 2009, an escalation of conflict between
government forces and armed militias has increased the
rate of population displacement, particularly from
Mogadishu and surrounding areas. Between
September 1 and October 23, conflict displaced 17,000
individuals from Mogadishu, including 13,500 people
displaced to areas throughout Somalia and 3,400 others
that fled to safer areas within the city.
In total, UNHCR reports that conflict and insecurity
displaced 23,000 people countrywide between
September 1 and October 23. During the same time
period, drought conditions resulted in the displacement
of an additional 8,000 individuals, while insufficient
livelihood opportunities accounted for the displacement
of 3,000 others, according to UNHCR. Of the total,
approximately 6,300 moved to areas adjacent to the
capital along the Afgooye corridor, joining the more
than 524,000 IDPs currently residing in the area.
Insecurity and drought also continue to result in
population movements across international borders.
By the end of September, UNHCR reported that
approximately 530,000 Somalis had fled to
neighboring countries since 1991, including more than
45,000 individuals that arrived at the Dadaab refugee
complex in the North Eastern Province of Kenya
between January and September 2009.
As a result of overcrowding and associated strain on
limited basic services in the Dadaab refugee complex,
humanitarian organizations continue to assist with
efforts to decongest the three camps, which currently
host approximately 270,000 refugees. On October 13,
the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in
collaboration with UNHCR, the Government of Kenya
Department of Refugee Affairs, and non-governmental
organizations, completed the relocation of 13,000
Somali refugees from the Dadaab complex to Kakuma
camp in northwestern Kenya. IOM provided the
refugees with pre-departure medical screenings and
medical escorts. However, IOM notes that despite
efforts to relieve overcrowding in the Dadaab complex,
the camp population remains unchanged due to the
continuous arrival of new refugees from Somalia.
In FY 2009, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of
Population, Refugees, and Migration provided more
than $56 million to support affected populations in
Somalia, including $39 million in earmarked funding
to assist Somali refugees in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti,
and Yemen and $17 million to support UNHCR and
International Committee of the Red Cross operations
within Somalia.
Agriculture and Food Security
According to FEWS NET, October to December deyr
rains commenced earlier than normal in many pastoral
areas in northern and northeastern Somalia, as well as
parts of central Somalia. Due to current El Niño
conditions, FEWS NET anticipates normal to abovenormal
rainfall through the end of 2009 in most areas.
In particular, FEWS NET expects heavy rains in
southern and central regions to improve water and
pasture availability, reduce household expenditure on
water and migration, and possibly reverse the rate of
livestock losses in pastoral areas.
However, FEWS NET does not anticipate a significant
improvement in food security through March 2010, as
several consecutive seasons of drought have depleted
food and livestock assets and exhausted coping
mechanisms. According to FEWS NET, two to three
consecutive seasons of good rains are required to
replenish livestock losses incurred during prolonged
and consecutive seasons of drought. In addition, poor
households in severely drought-affected areas of
Somalia will continue to experience high levels of food
insecurity due to food and water debts incurred during
recent droughts.
While humanitarian agencies expect increased rainfall
to largely benefit populations in Somalia, FEWS NET
and U.N. agencies report that heavy rainfall will likely
result in flooding along the Juba and Shabelle river
valleys. The anticipated flooding typically creates
opportunities for off-season crop production, but
significant flooding could destroy planted seeds or
negatively affect crop germination, resulting in reduced
agricultural production in low-lying areas.
In FY 2009, USAID/OFDA provided more than $1.1
million to support agriculture and food security
programs in Somalia, including animal health
interventions designed to safeguard livelihood asset in
pastoral communities.
Health and Nutrition
Nutrition conditions in central and southern regions, as
well as parts of the northern regions, continue to
deteriorate due to conflict, drought, displacement, and
lack of basic services. The results of 34 FSNAU
nutrition surveys conducted during 2009 indicate a
median global acute malnutrition rate of 19 percent,
exceeding the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO)
emergency threshold of 15 percent. The survey results
reflect an estimated 285,000 acutely malnourished
children under five years of age, including 70,000
severely malnourished children. Approximately 70
percent of the malnourished children reside in south
and central Somalia.
According to WHO, reported measles cases in Somalia
have steadily increased throughout 2009. Health
facilities in Lower Shabelle Region reported 159 cases
between May 23 and September 27, compared to 10
cases during the same time period in 2008. Mobile
health clinics also reported 112 measles cases in
September among IDP populations residing in
Mogadishu and along the Afgooye corridor. WHO
reports that the total number of measles cases in
Somalia is likely higher than reported, noting that
insecurity hinders access to affected areas.
To mitigate declining health and nutrition conditions,
the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) continues to
implement the Child Health Days program, a largescale
campaign that provides women and children with
important health services, including vaccinations,
vitamin A supplements, de-worming, and nutritional
screening. During the first round of the campaign,
UNICEF reached more than 1 million children under
five years of age and approximately 819,000 women of
child-bearing age.
In FY 2009, USAID/OFDA provided more than $1.8
million to support health and nutrition activities in
Somalia, including programs intended to mitigate the
impact of acute malnutrition on children, improve
access to critical basic health care services, and
enhance the capacity of health care providers through
health worker training.
Emergency Food Assistance
The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) reduced food
aid interventions in crop-producing areas of southern
Somalia during the July to September harvest season to
avoid potential negative impacts on market prices. In
September, WFP distributed approximately 22,170
metric tons (MT) of food assistance to 1.3 million
beneficiaries throughout Somalia. However, WFP
reports that pipeline shortfalls, limited access to
affected areas, and resource shortfalls continue to
hinder planned distributions throughout south and
central Somalia. According to WFP, programs
targeting expectant women, malnourished children, and
hospitals continued without disruption.
As of October 27, the U.N. had reopened all 16 wet
feeding sites in Mogadishu, including the Abdul-Aziz
site which reopened during the week of October 19. In
June, the U.N. suspended distributions at the wet
feeding sites, which provide at least 80,000 people with
hot meals daily, due to insecurity.
In FY 2009, USAID’s Office of Food for Peace
provided more than 157,000 MT of P.L. 480 Title II
emergency food assistance, valued at more than $124
million, to WFP for distribution to vulnerable
populations. In addition, USAID/OFDA provided
more than $1.8 million to WFP for the regional
procurement and distribution of food aid.
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
The prevalence of waterborne diseases continues to
present significant health risks for drought- and
conflict-affected populations in Somalia.
WHO reported more than 52,000 acute watery diarrhea
(AWD) cases and 170 associated deaths throughout
Somalia between January 1 and September 6.
Approximately 95 percent of AWD cases and 96
percent of related deaths occurred among children
under five years of age.
According to WHO, AWD cases are likely to increase
throughout Somalia during the October to December
deyr rainy season. In addition, FEWS NET reports that
projected flooding in the Juba and Shabelle river basins
could potentially increase the incidence of malaria and
Rift Valley Fever, as well as the spread of waterborne
diseases. In response, OCHA is facilitating flood
contingency preparations, including the prepositioning
of emergency relief supplies.
In FY 2009 USAID/OFDA provided nearly $1.2
million to support WASH interventions in Somalia,
including programs designed to increase access to safe
drinking water and reduce the spread of waterborne
diseases among drought-affected populations.
For detailed information on U.S. Government humanitarian assistance to Somalia, please see Situation Report #1, Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 (PDF, 50kb)
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