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Somalia Humanitarian Situation Update as of 23 June 2006

This update provides information on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Somalia, including the recent agreement between the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and the challenges faced in providing assistance to those in need. It highlights the need for funding and increased coverage in various sectors such as nutrition, water, and education.

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Somalia Humanitarian Situation Update as of 23 June 2006

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  1. SOMALIAUpdate on Humanitarian Situation As at 23 June 2006

  2. Overall Developments… • Remains one of the most challenging & worrying humanitarian crises in the world • TFG & ICU signed an agreement (22 June) in Khartoum calling for an immediate cease-fire & conferring mutual recognition (under auspices of Arab league) • Both parties agreed to reconvene on July 15 to negotiate a full peace agreement without preconditions • ICU opposing deployment of peace troops • The APRCT considered as defunct • SGSR briefed the SC on 19 June, ECHA will discuss Somalia on 29 June & Policy Committee on 11 July • Establishment of International Somalia Contact Group (1st meeting on 15 Jun06, next meeting in Jul06)

  3. Humanitarian Situation • Fortunately worst case scenario (famine!) averted due to deep social support systems, absence of outbreak or widespread conflict in central south & humanitarian relief • Initial good GU rains brought little relief in terms of improved pasture and water availability • Cereal crop harvest projected to be below normal due to poor rains in some key cropping areas, outbreaks of worms, localized flooding & insufficient agricultural inputs • Very high levels of asset loss (cattle deaths of 50% in Gedo) & financial indebtedness ensure that full recovery could take several years • Humanitarian Emergency in southern Somalia will continue through December 2006 (FSAU/FEWS NET) • Central & Northern Regions continue to be in an Acute Food and Livelihood Crisis

  4. Humanitarian Situation Continued… • 1.7 million people in need of assistance plus 400,000 IDPs • Deterioration of Malnutrition rates ( GAM at 23.8% in Gedo, 22% in Afmadow & 21.9% in Buale) • Child & maternal mortality rates are highest in the world (1 in every 4 children dying before age of 5) • Protection remains a major gap & situation of IDPs remains below any minimum acceptable standards (among worst in Africa) • Alarming increase in people smuggled from Puntland, thousands of Ethiopians & Somalis, primarily from the south, continue to be vulnerable to organized smuggling ring

  5. Humanitarian Response • CAP revised in March 2006 requesting US$ 331,371,720 targeting 2.1 million people • LOW implementation COVERAGE across the various clusters, mainly due to lack of funding,limited access & insecurity • Against an estimated 58,000 malnourished children, present coverage of supplementary & therapeutic feeding is reaching only 15% of the total • In the water sector less than 40% of those in need are actually reached with an estimated 5 liters per person per day • For food aid, distributions were generally delayed, mainly due toshortfalls in the food basket and partly due to insecurity • Over 1 million children have been vaccinated against measles, half of them in south Somalia • More than 20,000 pupils enabled to resumed schooling (54% of target), emergency school feeding developed (UNICEF, WFP & other educational partners)

  6. Humanitarian Response Continued… • Most compelling needs are food insecurity & nutritional support • Immunization activities to combat outbreak of polio need to be maintained in addition to deployment of mobile health services • An IDP profiling exercise has also commenced (first phase through a desk review) • As interagency assessment is in Merka (22-27Jun) to negotiate with authorities on basic principles of engagement & to conduct a rapid humanitarian assessment of IDPs

  7. Mogadishu… • Since early June, Mogadishu mainly under control of ICU, generally calm yet most recently (23 Jun06) an expatriate journalist shot in Mogadishu • Since Feb06, militia allied to (ARPCT) and ICU clashed at key strategic points in Mogadishu • Over 500 killed, 2,000 wounded, 18,000 displaced to nearby city, thousands (most vulnerable/IDPS) stuck in Mogadishu • Due to fighting both Measles & polio campaigns were interrupted, but situation now improving (Polio took place & Measles planned) • Home to largest IDP caseload (250,000 to 300,000), majority are children & women, with 45% females headed households • IDPs live in very poor conditions, in abandoned government buildings & makeshift huts, lacking access to the most basic social services • Humanitarian community DOES have a presence in Mogadishu ( 8 UN agencies through national staff , around 12 INGOs, a large number of national actors)

  8. Mogadishu Continued… • Ongoing activities include: nutritional support, health, water & sanitation and education. Response, however, is far below needs • Appreciable number of health & education facilities (around 25 hospitals & more than 200 schools), yet mostly run on private basis which hampers access by poor & most vulnerable including IDPs • Present calm in Mogadishu (??) provides a window of opportunity to build upon existing activities but should be based on dialogue on issues of access & security for aid personnel • Priorities in Mogadishu include health, water & sanitation with focus on IDPs • Governor of Mogadishu met with UNCT , a humanitarian mission is in the pipeline (to be preceded by security assessment)

  9. Obstacles & Constraints… • Sustained access & security remains the overriding concern • Lack of partners & poor operational capacity • Low levels & delayed funding. To date, CAP is 43% covered, food sector 62%, yet critical sectors like agriculture, health, education &protection, less than 20% funded • Logistical constraints due to the continuing lack of infrastructure & now localized flooding • Lack of cooperation of the authorities

  10. Coordination Mechanisms… • Somalia one of pilot countries for Cluster leadership model • IASC Somalia established in early 2006 with membership of 7 UN, 7 NGO & ICRC as observer • Cluster Approach Leadership, in accordance with global clusters: Health (WHO), WATSAN (UNICEF), Nutrition (UNICEF), Logistics (WFP) & Protection (UNHCR) • Specific arrangements at country level: Education (UNICEF), Food (WFP) & Agriculture/Livelihoods (FAO) • Broad engagement of NGOs in IASC & as co-leads of some of clusters enhanced both partnerships & ownership of humanitarian action • Challenges include limited partnership with national authorities & local NGOs & reluctance by some NGOs to operate within the clusters models • Reluctance & sometimes (difficulty) by some cluster leads to think beyond their normal institutional responsibilities

  11. Key Messages… • The Emergency is NOT OVER! • Due to sustained high levels of malnutrition, high levels of asset loss & predicted below normal cereal harvest, there is a need for continued humanitarian relief • Increased attention to providing livelihood support for recovery (livestock programs, cash assistance & agricultural support) • Enhanced advocacy to ensure that Somalia is a PRIORTY on the international humanitarian agenda • Increased donor support including non-traditional donors • Donors to provide more flexible emergency funding to enable investment in operational capacity of the NGOs on the ground • Operational agencies to enhance their presence in south Somalia with focus on protection capacity

  12. Key Messages Continued… • Resource mobilization for IDP interventions • Engage ALL actors in Somalia to adopt a COMMON APPRAOCH calling for respect of IH & HR & providing adequate security & facilitating sustained access to population in need • Address underlying causes such as environmental degradation & on-going civil insecurity • Support implementation of Cluster Leadership model in Somalia

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