Somalia: the compound impact of drought and conflict pushes people to the brink (14.12.2021)

Last month the Federal Government declared a state of emergency, as thousands leave their homes in search of food, water and pasture.

GENEVA, Switzerland, December 14, 2021 – More than 300,000 people have been affected by the worsening drought in Somalia’s Galgaduud region. Last month the Federal Government declared a state of emergency, as thousands leave their homes in search of food, water and pasture. In addition to the worsening drought, Guriel, a town of some 100,000 inhabitants in central Galgaduud, has seen an intensification of conflict. At the end of October, heavy fighting broke out between Somali National Army and Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama’a group, killing dozens and forcing some 100,000 people to flee to the neighboring villages.

“This drought is more severe than the ones I used to see. The clashes have forced people to run away and become displaced. The drought and lack of rainfall has also caused displacement. These things have all come at once,” said Hashim, a 50 year old resident of Guriel.

Intense shelling damaged several buildings in Guriel, including its main hospital. The Kulmiye Community hospital, the second largest in town, was destroyed in a fire.  Kulmiye hospital was a referral hospital that offered outpatient, inpatient, maternity and immunization services to people from surrounding villages within the range of over 100 km. “This morning, a number of people arrived at the hospital thinking it still exists. They had not heard the news,” said Dr. Ali Omar Tarabi – Chairman, Kulmiye Hospital Board. The pressure on the remaining health facilities has considerably increased.

Hundreds of thousands of people are staying in makeshift settlements on the outskirts of Guriel town. Some of them were displaced by the recent fighting, while others came to the area seeking pasture, as drought became more severe. All the displaced people live in extremely difficult conditions, lacking access to the essential services, like food, water and healthcare. “To respond to these needs, we provided water trucking to displaced people in 17 villages”, said Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed, Head of ICRC office in Galmudug.  “Together with the Somali Red Crescent Society, we deployed a mobile health team that is providing essential health care services to six villages”.

Life is slowly returning to Guriel, but many small businesses remain closed and it will take time and effort to repair the damage, especially while the region is grappling with the consequences of the drought.

ICRC in Somalia – Key Facts

  • A mobile health clinic consisting of 2 nurses, 2 health promoters, a vaccinator and a pharmacy assistant run by the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) is providing health care services to four villages and two displacement camps in Galgaduud region.
  • Over 39,000 people received access to water through rehabilitation of 9 boreholes
  • The ICRC has been delivering 90 liters of water per day to some 6,600 for four weeks, as part of its emergency response.
  • 20 water tanks have been delivered to 17 affected villages in Guriel.
  • Over 70,000 people affected by the drought received cash grants in 17 villages in Galmudug region.

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Ethiopia: World Food Programme (WFP) – Millions could fall deeper into hunger as WFP faces unprecedented funding Gap in Ethiopia (06.12.2021)

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is facing a major funding shortfall over the next six months threatening its ability to meet the critical food and nutrition needs of millions of food insecure Ethiopians and refugees.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, December 6, 2021 – WFP has a funding gap of US$579 million to deliver life-saving food assistance and livelihood support activities to 12 million people in Ethiopia over the next six months. This includes US$316 million that is urgently needed to deliver emergency food and nutrition assistance to 3.7 million people in northern Ethiopia over the next six months.

The Government of Ethiopia, WFP, and other partners are struggling to alleviate the country’s hunger crisis. The extended combined effects of conflict, drought, flooding, desert locust invasions, market disruptions and high food prices, and the COVID-19 pandemic have left an estimated 13.6 million people food insecure.

“Timely and complete food and nutrition support is critical to alleviating the suffering of millions across Ethiopia. In addition to the severe challenges facing conflict-impacted populations in many regions, we are deeply concerned about climate-related vulnerability and food insecurity in dry lowland areas,” says WFP Representative and Country Director, Dr. Steven Were Omamo.

“There is food available in the country. But if WFP doesn’t receive commitments of new funding in the coming weeks, we will be unable to purchase and mobilise this food to prevent millions from falling into severe hunger and hardship by early next year,” warns Dr. Omamo.

Record-high levels of acute food insecurity are expected in Ethiopia through at least mid-2022, with northern, southern, and south eastern parts of the country of highest concern, according to the latest Ethiopia Food Security Outlook (FEWSNET, October 2021 – May 2022).

In northern Ethiopia, the food security situation in all three regions of Afar, Amhara and Tigray is already critical and will worsen if conflict-induced interruptions to humanitarian aid continue. The impacts of ongoing conflict – including continued disruption to trade flows and minimal economic activity – will come on top of already significant losses to food and income.

Ethiopia’s southern and south eastern pastoral areas are facing a third consecutive below-average rainfall season, with an intensifying drought causing significant livestock losses, wiping out fragile livelihoods, and worsening food insecurity through mid-2022.

International donor partners have stepped up and committed more than ever before to WFP’s response in Ethiopia, but the level of funding has not kept pace with rising needs. Funding shortages have already forced ration cuts for some 710,000 refugees across the country and 2.4 million food insecure people in Somali region. Refugees are now receiving 60 percent of the required kilocalories per person/day while food insecure families in Somali region are receiving 10 percent less cereal per person, per month.

WFP’s staff are guided by the principles of neutrality, impartiality, humanity, and independence. WFP is working throughout Northern Ethiopia with the Federal government and regional authorities to reach populations affected by the conflict, wherever possible, and calls on all parties to respect the organization’s assets, staff and commodities, and access to areas of need.

Eritrea: Embassy of the State of Eritrea to the United States of America – A Response to Congressman Brad Sherman’s Offensive statements against Eritrea (03.12.2021)

Ethiopia: A Fresh OCHA Report states that 9.4 million is in dire need of humanitarian assistance

On the 2nd December 2021 UN OCHA Situation Report on Ethiopia was released and the numbers are staggering. The needs are vast and the hands to do so is tied. The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) is clearly behind on its mandate and the UN Organizations must cover the needs, which is happening the FDRE territory. Despite all the vilification of “wheat aid” and other measures. The needs are there and the total picture is ghastly.

“The situation in northern Ethiopia remains precarious and volatile with the continuation of active hostilities in several locations leading to increased humanitarian needs and vulnerabilities due to large-scale displacement, loss of livelihoods and access to markets, food, and basic services. Humanitarian partners have limited or no access to a large segment of the population across the three affected regions, hampering the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance” (OCHA, 02.12.2021).

The three regions who is hardest hit by this is the Tigray, Afar and Amhara region, which all has been inflicted by the warfare. While the Tigray Region is where the most is still affected and where the humanitarian blockade have stopped all proper humanitarian assistance, a man-made famine and weaponizing hunger. Which the FDRE is denying but is a clear fact by how it has operated over the last year.

The total target in the three regions now is 9.4 million citizens in dire need of humanitarian assistance. As the conflict and warfare is on several fronts. While other zones and woredas are now accessible for the humanitarian assistance to return to as well. This means the organizations who is responsible and delivering the assistance have to be allowed to enter and do its job, which haven’t been the case.

“WFP reported in a statement on 26 November that the number of people in need of humanitarian food assistance across northern Ethiopia has grown to an estimated 9.4 million as a direct result of conflict. Amhara Region has seen the largest increase of people in need with 3.7 million people now in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The humanitarian situation in parts of Amhara, including North Wollo, Wag Hemra and parts of South Wello, as well as in conflict-affected areas in Afar, are of particular concern due to disruption of livelihoods and markets and lack of access to humanitarian assistance. In Tigray region, 5.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, of which at least 400,000 are believed to be facing famine-like conditions” (OCHA, 02.12.2021).

Here you see the distress and the dire needs explained, as the situation isn’t becoming better, but only slightly worse. As new areas and new issues are becoming prevalent. That is very clear by this.

The whole situation report is shattering, as so many lives is at stake and it’s all done for one man to consolidate all power under him. They are all victims of his anger and vengeance against one group people. Therefore, everyone must suffer consequently. That is tragic, but the world we are living in. Peace.

Ethiopia: Tigray External Affairs Office – Response to the Globe and Mail’s “Report” on Sexual Violence in Amhara Region (30.11.2021)

Opinion: Abiy promises total victory again [Like he did on the 16th Nov. 2020 & 26th Nov. 2020]

The youth of Tigray is perishing like leaves. Knowing it is defeated, it is being led by one who does not have a clear vision or plan. It should surrender today to the Ethiopian National Defence Force, to the special forces, to the militias and to the people” (…) “The enemy has been defeated. We scored an unthinkable victory with the eastern command in one day… Now in the west we will repeat this victory” – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali (From footage released on 30th November 2021).

On the 17th November 2020 after about two weeks of conflict and civil war in the “Law Enforcement Operation”. The man high on power and brief successive victories proclaimed to the world, that the Tigray conflict was in it’s “final phase”.

The three-day deadline for the Tigray regional special forces and militia to hand themselves over to national defence forces instead of being a tool for the greedy junta has expired. Those Tigray special forces and militia who used the three-day deadline are appreciated, Since the deadline has been completed, in the coming days the final law enforcement activities will be done” (Abiy, 17.11.2020).

Now a year later on the 30th November 2021. The same man coming with similar threats. There been plenty of offensives and now a ‘counteroffensive’. The ENDF and allies has used all of their means to win the war. They have used all tactics and deployed all sinister means to gain advantage. This is everything from weaponizing humanitarian assistance, blockage of utilities, communications and whatever the Federal Government deemed fit. Therefore, the PM cannot think people will believe his stories now.

The PM did state again on the 26th November 2020 that it was the “final phase” and ending of the conflict. However, we know perfectly well that didn’t happen and the threats was useless. The PM and his allies didn’t have the knowledge or the strategic thinking to think differently. As the Tigray Defence Force (TDF) restructured and started warfare in a different manner of which the state underestimated. That is why they are on the advancing end and the ENDF is trying to regain lost territory, as it has lost 10,000 soldiers only defending the Afar region over the recent days. This is the results of the civil-war and the burden Abiy has put on his own people.

The PM is doing like he did last year asking the TDF and its allies to surrender last year in November. When the TDF and allies in encircling Addis Ababa. Why would they do it now? When they could have done it … when Mekelle was bombed and their territory was controlled by the Tripartite Alliance. Nevertheless, this PM isn’t that bright or smart to figure that one out.

He rather sounds boost-full and having it all in order. As the “survival campaign” and Nationwide State of Emergency isn’t regaining quickly enough territory or weakening his adversaries. Clearly, the TDF-OLA union has ensured the warfare to turn the tide. As they taking territory and planning joint manoeuvrers. That was a luxury the Federal Government had with ENDF, EDF, Fano and Special Forces all combating one enemy. Now this has become much more hectic and with several of Liberation Armies to beat.

The ‘counteroffensive’ and the publicity stunt of having the PM on the frontline must be a golden opportunity of the FDRE. However, it is also showing it’s weakness. As they are supposed to need the manpower of the man who should sit in the situation room and get all intelligence from the front. He should navigate together with the generals and commanders. Find the best strategy and not just look at the sky, the moon and the dust. Figuring out from which hill he should cross or what sort of trick he should pick out of his sleeve. Nevertheless, that is where we are and he thinks he can repeat itself and it will work wonders.

The fools that is joining his war and many are dying on the front. That’s why the 10,000 revelations shows what price it has cost the FDRE to regain territory in the Afar region alone. Therefore, the PM maybe needs to boost his ego and show some finesse.

Still, that is a lot too ask this late in the game. There is little wiggle room and the PM uses whatever he has at this disposal. We know the TDF-OLA alliance has hurt his prospects. We know they been able to capture lot’s of prisoners of war. That has been proven and displayed. Nevertheless, that has never ended the war.

The PM can be in public and create a lot of theatre, but everyone knows that this doesn’t win him the war. It is just prolonged and the agony continues. As the people are starving, struggling and the pain is delivered to the door-steps of even more people. This isn’t only happening in the Tigray region, which have gotten the blunt force of the state, but also in Amhara, Afar and Oromia. Where there is various degrees of suffering, because of the conflict. It all has to be addressed and the pain, suffering and the adherent needs are growing. As the state and FDRE vilifies the UN and everyone delivering “wheat aid”. Therefore, this isn’t becoming better by the day, but much worse. As we cannot know the true extent or what sort of levels of devastation in the Republic.

Time will tell… but Abiy needs new tricks and new measures. Since, re-issuing the same sort of statements. Only shows that his not winning, but slowly losing. Peace.

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