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Somalia – Complex Emergency

May 15, 2009

Situation Report #5, Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 (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), Ethiopian forces, and armed militias opposed to the TFG led to a further deterioration in humanitarian conditions. Following the 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 460,000 Somali refugees have fled the country and more than 1.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), including long-term IDPs and individuals displaced by increased fighting since February 2007, remain uprooted within Somalia.

In January 2009, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU) reported that 3.2 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in Somalia, representing 43 percent of the total population and a 77 percent increase since January 2008. The combined effects of consecutive seasons of failed or poor rainfall, continuing conflict, rising inflation, massive displacement, and diarrheal disease outbreaks have severely exacerbated food insecurity and resulted in a significant increase in acute malnutrition rates, according to the 2009 U.N. Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) for Somalia. 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 31, 2008, U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael E. Ranneberger redeclared a disaster in Somalia due to the complex emergency. To date in FY 2009, the U.S. Government (USG) has provided more than $136 million for humanitarian assistance programs in Somalia, including more than $9 million in USAID/OFDA funding to support agriculture and food security, economy and market systems, health, nutrition, protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions. USAID/OFDA programs in Somalia are focused on flexible response to allow implementing partners to adjust to fluid security conditions and continue to reach beneficiaries.

Current Situation

Consecutive seasons of below-normal crop production, drought conditions, high food prices, rising malnutrition rates, disease outbreaks, civil insecurity, and population displacement continue to exacerbate food insecurity and livelihood conditions throughout Somalia. On February 11, FSAU released findings from the Post Deyr 2008/2009 Analysis based on December and January seasonal assessments conducted by FSAU, the USAID-supported Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), and 31 partners, including regional authorities, U.N. agencies, and local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). According to the report, approximately 3.2 million Somalis require humanitarian assistance through June 2009, including 650,000 children under the age of five.

Humanitarian agencies have expressed increased concern regarding severe water shortages and drought conditions in Mudug, Galgadud, Hiran, Middle Juba, and Lower Juba regions, resulting in high water prices, significant livestock losses, and deteriorating food security and nutrition conditions. Although some drought-affected areas in Galgadud and Mudug regions received localized rainfall in late March and early April, FSAU reported insufficient rain to alleviate drought conditions.

USAID/OFDA staff continue to monitor conditions and address evolving needs resulting from the drought and food security crisis, in addition to facilitating coordination and information sharing among international relief organizations.

Security and Access

The security situation in Somalia remains fluid due conflict between armed militias attempting to gain control of various regions following the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops in late January. Although U.N. reports indicate a 50 percent decline in security incidents from January to February in south and central Somalia, insecurity and targeting of relief staff continue to contribute to reduced humanitarian access, population displacement, restricted trade, and increased transportation costs.

Between January 1 and April 24, the U.N. reported the abduction and subsequent release of six aid workers in Somalia. However, 16 of the 26 aid workers abducted during 2008 remain in captivity. In addition, unidentified gunmen shot and killed a former CARE employee in Lower Shabelle Region on April 19. CARE previously suspended activities in south and central Somalia in January 2009, following warnings by militia groups to cease operations. On April 19, members of an armed militia group abducted two Médecins Sans Frontières/Belgium staff members in Bakool Region. According to international media, militia members released the hostages unharmed on April 28.

Population Movements

U.N. reports indicate simultaneous population displacement and returns in Mogadishu. On April 14, UNHCR reported that conflict and insecurity displaced approximately 27,000 people from Mogadishu between January and mid-April. However, conflict displaced only 1,200 people during March, representing the smallest monthly displacement figure reported for Mogadishu since 2007. In total, conflict and insecurity displaced an estimated 15,000 people throughout Somalia during March, while drought displaced an additional 15,000 individuals from Lower Juba, Middle Juba, Gedo, and Galgadud regions. According to UNHCR, an estimated 61,000 IDPs returned to Mogadishu between January and March, representing nearly 6 percent of the total population displaced from the city since 2006. The majority of IDPs returned from Middle Shabelle, Lower Shabelle, Mudug, Galgadud, and Hiran regions, where significant water and pasture shortages continue to threaten food security and livelihoods. Despite the onset of initial returns, the total number of IDPs increased from approximately 1 million to more than 1.2 million between December 2008 and March 2009, according to UNHCR.

In late March, the humanitarian Inter-Agency Standing Committee for Somalia formally endorsed a policy not to encourage IDP returns to Mogadishu due to security concerns, limited humanitarian access, and inadequate provision of basic services. However, humanitarian agencies continue to assist IDPs in areas of displacement and prepare contingency plans to assist population returns to Mogadishu pending improved security conditions.

Population movement across international borders also remains fluid. According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), limited numbers of refugees from Kenya, Yemen, Ethiopia, and Saudi Arabia have returned to Mogadishu. However, between January and March, UNHCR registered approximately 22,000 people at the Dadaab refugee complex in the North Eastern Province of Kenya. While UNHCR continues to receive and register new refugee arrivals, NGOs have reported a potential humanitarian emergency in the Dadaab complex due to a lack of basic services, significant overcrowding, and inadequate funding. Intended to accommodate 90,000 people, the Dadaab complex currently hosts approximately 264,000 refugees. Negotiations remain ongoing between UNHCR and the Government of Kenya to secure land for additional camp construction to meet expanded population needs.

To date in FY 2009, State/PRM has contributed more than $7.4 million to support Somali refugees in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Yemen.

Food Security

Food security conditions continue to deteriorate in central Somalia, particularly in Mudug, Galgadud, and Hiran regions. Recurring shocks, including successive seasons of failed rains beginning in April 2007, ongoing insecurity, high food and fuel prices, and trade disruptions have resulted in asset depletion and adaptation of distressed coping strategies among affected populations.

A prolonged and particularly dry January to April jilaal dry season caused by the poor performance and early cessation of the October to January deyr seasonal rains has contributed to severe water and pasture shortages Somalia Complex Emergency – May 5, 2009 throughout central Somalia. According to FEWS NET, increased distances between water sources and grazing areas has negatively affected livestock productivity and exacerbated food insecurity. In April, FSAU reported that goat and sheep herd sizes fell 30 percent below baseline levels, with an additional 20 to 30 percent decline expected by June. In addition, local authorities in Galgadud and Mudug regions reported the death of approximately 43,000 sheep and goats during the past few months as a result of water shortages.

According to FSAU, parts of Bay Region and areas of Lower Juba Region received rainfall in early April, resulting in replenished water sources and increased pasture availability. In addition, some drought-affected areas in Galgadud and Mudug regions received moderate rainfall in late March and early April, but significant in-migration from neighboring areas quickly exhausted water supplies, resulting in only moderate and temporary alleviation of drought conditions.

Despite the recent onset of moderate rainfall in some areas of Somalia, the Climate Outlook Forum forecasted an 80 percent probability for below-normal April to June gu rainfall, potentially resulting in the fourth consecutive below-normal rainy season and a below-normal August crop production. As a result, FEWS NET does not expect humanitarian conditions to improve in the coming months, as gu-reliant crops constitute 70 percent of annual cereal production in most parts of the country. Even if gu rains perform well, continued humanitarian assistance and several seasons of adequate rainfall will be required for drought-affected households to recover due to high asset losses and weakened health conditions.

High prices also continue to negatively affect food access and increase food insecurity in Somalia. Although FEWS NET reported moderate declines in 2009, prices remain significantly above long-term averages. In March, FSAU reported that local cereal prices remained 150 to 230 percent higher than the 2004–2008 March average. As a result of high food prices, the percentage of urban poor populations employing distressed coping mechanisms, including reducing the number of daily meals and borrowing from neighbors, has increased from 32 to 59 percent between 2008 and 2009, according to FSAU.

To date in FY 2009, USAID/OFDA has provided more than $1.1 million to support agriculture and food security programs in Somalia, including animal health interventions intended to safeguard livelihood assets.

Health and Nutrition

Nutrition surveys highlight emergency levels of acute malnutrition throughout Somalia due to deteriorating food security, population displacement, disease outbreaks, and a lack of basic social services. According to FSAU, 17 nutrition assessments conducted between October and December 2008 confirm that global acute malnutrition (GAM) rates in many areas of the country remain significantly above the 15 percent emergency threshold, ranging from 18 to 25 percent in Gedo, Bakool, western Galgadud, and western Mudug regions.

On February 11, FSAU reported that approximately 200,000 Somali children remain acutely malnourished, including 60,000 severely malnourished children requiring immediate treatment. In addition, an estimated 10,000 children in Galgadud and Mudug regions require immediate therapeutic care, but ongoing insecurity continues to hinder humanitarian access to affected areas. The U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) expects the number of acutely and severely malnourished children to increase during 2009 by 50 percent and 60 percent, respectively.

In response to increased malnutrition concerns, UNICEF continues to distribute ready-to-use food Plumpy’doz targeting 120,000 vulnerable children between 6 and 36 months of age. In addition, UNICEF and the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) continue to implement phase one of the Child Health Days campaign in southern Somalia aimed at reaching more than 200,000 children with Vitamin A supplements, de-worming vaccinations, nutrition screening, referral services, and oral re-hydration therapy. The campaign also targets 160,000 women of child-bearing age with tetanus vaccinations and various health education initiatives.

To date in FY 2009, USAID/OFDA has provided more than $1.8 million to support health and nutrition activities in Somalia, including programs aimed at improving essential health service provision for vulnerable populations, as well as the continuation and expansion of nutrition assessments. In addition, FY 2008 USAID/OFDA funding supports ongoing nutrition and health programs, including the UNICEF and WHO Child Health Days campaign and programs aimed at mitigating acute malnutrition impacts on children under five years of age.

Emergency Food Assistance

In March, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) distributed more than 36,000 metric tons (MT) of food to 2.2 million beneficiaries throughout Somalia, including nearly 160,000 beneficiaries in Gedo and Hiran regions. However, a lack of security guarantees from local authorities in some areas of south and central Somalia prevented WFP from distributing an additional 8,600 MT of food intended to reach 600,000 Somalis.

Sea piracy off the coast of Somalia increased significantly during March and April, affecting WFP food aid deliveries to Somalia. On April 8, pirates hijacked the Maersk Alabama, an American-flagged Somalia Complex Emergency – May 5, 2009 cargo ship transporting nearly 8,200 MT of USAID P.L. 480 Title II emergency food assistance, valued at approximately $5.3 million, to Kenya, Uganda, and Somalia. According to the International Maritime Bureau, piracy incidents have doubled in 2009 compared to 2008, with 61 incidents occurring off the coast of Somalia between January and March.

Increased piracy incidents underscore the need for escorts to ensure delivery of critical humanitarian food assistance to affected populations in Somalia. In March, European Union vessels escorted three ships carrying 12,000 MT of assorted commodities from Mombasa Port, Kenya, to Mogadishu. Since December 2008, 12 WFP-contracted ships have delivered more than 120,000 MT of assorted food to Somalia.

To date in FY 2009, USAID/FFP has provided nearly 160,000 MT of P.L. 480 Title II emergency food assistance, valued at more than $120 million, to WFP and CARE for distribution to vulnerable populations.

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

Water shortages and associated price increases continue to limit the availability of safe drinking water in central Somalia and parts of Gedo, Hiran, Lower Juba, and Middle Juba regions. FEWS NET reported that water prices in Galgadud Region increased by 115 to 150 percent between March 2008 and 2009. In response to increasing water shortages, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) provided water trucking to more than 500,000 people in Galgadud, Hiran, Mudug, Gedo, Lower Juba, Middle Juba, Bay, and Bakool regions, between March 15 and April 30. According to the U.N., humanitarian organizations will continue water trucking in affected areas until the onset of the gu rains.

The presence of waterborne diseases due to poor sanitation and hygiene and a lack of safe drinking water also presents significant health risks for populations throughout Somalia, particularly in drought-affected areas. In March, WHO reported 500 cases of acute watery diarrhea (AWD), including 378 cases in children under the age of five, and one related death in Lower Juba and Middle Juba regions, representing a 50 percent caseload increase compared to February. Between March 1 and April 3, WHO reported 304 cases of AWD in Mogadishu, resulting in six deaths. WHO attributed the increased caseload in Mogadishu to population movements, drought conditions, and an interruption of water and sanitation activities due to ongoing conflict.

To date in FY 2009, USAID/OFDA has provided nearly $1.2 million to support water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions countrywide, including programs designed to increase access to safe drinking water among IDP populations, as well as hygiene education programs aimed at reducing the spread of waterborne diseases.

For detailed information on U.S. Government humanitarian assistance to Somalia, please see Situation Report #5, Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 (PDF, 50kb)

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