Ethiopia Weekly Humanitarian Bulletin, 05 June 2017

Key Issues

• A High-Level Partnership Mission to the Horn of Africa to visit Ethiopia and Somalia

• DPFSA Requested for humanitarian assistance to 2,395 flood-displaced persons

• Malnutrition looms in drought affected communities as food pipeline breaks at end of June

Following poor performing spring rains, the number of people receiving humanitarian assistance has increased from 5.6 million to 7.78 million in the first quarter of the year, and is expected to heighten further in the second half of the year. Increased funding is needed urgently, in particular to address immediate requirements for food and nutrition, as well as clean drinking water, much of which is being delivered long distances by truck as regular wells have dried up.

A High-Level Partnership Mission to the Horn of Africa to visit Ethiopia and Somalia

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in collaboration with the Africa Union Commission is organizing a Horn of Africa Partnership Mission from 8 to 13 June 2017. The mission is organized to raise awareness about the devastating drought situation in the Horn of Africa and accelerate resource mobilization to respond to the drought crisis. More than 10 high-level delegates from Gulf States, donor agencies and private sector representatives will visit Ethiopia and Somalia. The programme in Ethiopia will run from 8 to 10 June. On 9 June 2017, the delegates accompanied by high-level Government officials of Ethiopia and international media will visit Warder zone, one of Ethiopia’s drought-hit areas. The mission will also meet with Government and UN officials. On 10 June, the participants will move to Nairobi (Kenya) from where they will proceed to Somalia for Phase II of the mission to take place from 11 to 12 June.

DPFSA Requested for humanitarian assistance to 2,395 flood-displaced persons

Over 2,395 people (475 households) remain displaced in Gambella town following flash floods caused by heavy rains on 18 May 2017. According to a recent multi-agency rapid assessment led by the regional Disaster Prevention Food Security Agency (DPFSA), the affected community need immediate food and non-food assistance. The assessment team verified that the flood has affected five kebeles where many houses were flooded and furniture, cooking materials, clothing, food and non-food items were washed away or destroyed. The flooding has also damaged text books and exercise books of some 950 students. The regional DPFSA has requested for emergency food ration for three months, NFI kits and TNTs, and educational supplies.

Malnutrition looms in drought affected communities as food pipeline is breaking

About 8 million people currently receiving food assistance face malnutrition as Ethiopia runs out of emergency food aid from July 2017. Malnutrition rates are currently high following poor performing spring rains particularly in the southeastern parts of the country. The situation is expected to worsen at the end of June when the 7.9 million beneficiaries supported by Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme receive their last transfer for the year. The National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) and the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) have officially expressed their concerns to donors about the gap in food and nutritional needs. US$55 million is urgently required to ensure continous treatment of severe and moderate malnutrition and, $500 million to purchase and transport food to an estimated 8 million people, for the second half of the year. Read more here
For further information, contact: ocha-eth@un.org

Ethiopian economy will be Africa's most expansive in 2017 – World Bank forecast

The World Bank says Ethiopia’s economy will be the most expansive on the continent for the year 2017 followed by Tanzania, Ivory Coast and Senegal in that order.

This view by the global finance outfit was contained in their Global Economic Prospect report released this month.

‘‘Ethiopia is forecast to expand by 8.3 percent in 2017, Tanzania by 7.2 percent, Ivory Coast by 6.8 percent, and Senegal by 6.7 percent, all helped by public investment. However, some countries need to contain debt accumulation and rebuild policy buffers,’‘ the report cautioned.

Ethiopia is forecast to expand by 8.3 percent in 2017, Tanzania by 7.2 percent, Ivory Coast by 6.8 percent, and Senegal by 6.7 percent, all helped by public investment.

The World Bank further noted that growth in non-resource intensive countries was anticipated to remain solid, supported by infrastructure investment, resilient services sectors, and the recovery of agricultural production.

World Bank’s 2017 “Global Economic Prospects” report issued today. Fastest growing economy in the world is #Ethiopia at 8.3%. #G20 #Africapic.twitter.com/VQEcqGn3hT

— Zemedeneh Negatu (@Zemedeneh) June 5, 2017

Whiles projecting a generally stable economic performance for most Sub-Saharan Africa economies, the report titled, ‘A Fragile Recovery,’ forecasted that economies will averagely ‘‘pick up to 2.6 percent in 2017 and to 3.2 percent in 2018, predicated on moderately rising commodity prices and reforms to tackle macroeconomic imbalances.’‘

They stressed the challenges that the United States official development assistance slash will have on smaller economies and fragile states in the region as a major risk. The East Africa region they noted was also susceptible to whether-related risks.

‘‘Worsening drought conditions will severely affect agricultural production, push food prices higher, and increase food insecurity in the sub-region,’‘ they added.

Ethiopia overtakes Kenya as economic giant of East Africa

This forecast becomes the second stamp of approval on the Ethiopia economy in as many months. International Monetary Fund (IMF) figures released in April this year ‘crowned’ the country as the new economic giant of the East Africa region dethroning neighbouring Kenya.

Their annual economic output for 2017 was expected to hit $78 billion from $72 billion recorded last year. Ethiopia’s economic growth since 2015 has been pegged at 10.8% putting a significant gap between them and Kenya. In monetary terms, Ethiopia has opened a gap of over $29 million over Kenya.

Ethiopia’s economic growth is hinged on public-led spending on infrastructure and a strong demand by locals. It has also recently become an investor destination of choice for particularly Chinese investors.

Another factor believed to be driving the economy is the country’s large population – which is almost double that of Kenya. Read more here

Ethiopia mobile internet still off after a week

Ethiopians were still unable to surf the web via mobile networks on Tuesday, despite government claims the nationwide internet shutdown, which began a week ago, had been lifted.

Africa's second most-populous country turned off its internet access without warning or explanation last week, briefly depriving even diplomatic buildings, like the UN's Economic Commission for Africa and the headquarters of the African Union, of internet access.

While service to those two institutions was restored and subscribers to broadband internet say they are now able to get online, access via mobile data—which is most used by businesses and individuals—was still unavailable.

This is despite government assurances that the blockage had been lifted.

In a press conference on Monday, Communications Minister Negeri Lencho said the internet had been "partly" shut down for three days last week and that social media sites were the only services that remained blocked.

Negeri said the shutdown was a measure necessary to keep students taking annual exams away from distractions on social media.

"The only reason is to help our students to concentrate on the exams because we know we are fighting poverty," Negeri said.

Ethiopia's sole telecommunications provider has blocked social media websites like Facebook and Twitter since anti-government protests broke out last year.

The country is among the least-connected in Africa, with only about 12 percent of people online, the International Telecommunications Union reported in 2015.

The Brookings Institution think tank released a report last October saying the country only lost around $8.5 million (7.5 million euros) when internet access was cut off for weeks during last year's unrest.

"People invest a lot of money in China, where the internet is already very difficult," John Ashbourne, Africa economist a London-based Capital Economics told AFP. "These are not insurmountable problems, but they're frustrations."

The internet cafe where Abiy Tesfaye works in Addis Ababa's busy Piazza neighbourhood runs off mobile data and only one customer was using one of his 14 computers.

The business has been suffering for years as more and more people browse the internet with smartphones, Abiy said, and the internet shutdown was the latest blow.

"We lose money, we don't have the customers. It's a shame," he said.

Around the corner, Dereje Alemayehu Nida's cafe was doing a brisk business in people filling out visa applications and surfing Facebook, but that's only because his broadband internet access came back online over the weekend after days without connectivity.

"It would have been better if they used another means to control the exams rather than shut down the internet," Dereje said. Read more here

 Explore further: Over half of world's population does not use internet: UN

QFFD, QRCS Sign Pact to Help Vulnerable Communities in Ethiopia

$3mn Co-Funding for 62,300 Beneficiaries

June 6th, 2017 ― Doha: Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and Qatar Red Crescent (QRCS) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to launch a multi-sectoral intervention program for the most vulnerable communities in Ethiopia.

The program is to be done through providing shelter, water, sanitation, and livelihood support with a budget of QR 11 million. The agreement was signed by Misfer Al-Shahwani, Director of Development Projects at QFFD, and Ali Hassan Al-Hammadi, Secretary-General of QRCS, in the presence of a group of officials from both sides.

Under the 24-month MoU, a series of shelter, water and sanitation, and livelihood projects will be conducted with a total budget of $3 million (nearly QR 11 million). These activities are estimated to help 8,900 families (62,300 people) in refugee camps of Oromia and Gamela, as well as 436,000 indirect beneficiaries.

During the signing ceremony, Mr. Al-Shahwani stated, "This grant from QFFD will help alleviate the suffering of the underserved communities in Ethipoia, amid too severe conditions and drought".

"It is part of the State of Qatar's humanitarian strategy to mitigate the suffering of humanity and falls under the humanitarian response plan adopted by QFFD for 2017," said Mr. Al-Shahwani.

He added that this agreements falls under the humanitarian response plan that was prepared by QFFD in 2017, noting that QFFD is proud of this partnership with QRCS to provide relief to the Ethiopian people.

Mr. Al-Hammadi, said, "I would like to thank QFFD for this generous support to QRCS's imminent relief response to the drastic situation in Ethiopia, by meeting the basic needs of victims in a way that preserves their dignity".

He commended the strategic partnership with QFFD, which reflects the approach of Qatar leaders towards helping the vulnerable and the distressed, particularly in Arab countries like Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Libya. "At the center of this is QRCS, thanks to its internationally recognized capacity and as an auxiliary to the State of Qatar in its local and international humanitarian policy," he noted.

The intervention programme to be implemented by QRCS personnel in Ethiopia comprises the following aspects:

1. Shelter: This involves construction of standard improved shelter and transitional shelter in Dillo, Megado, and Jnunyiel refugee camps.
2. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH): This involves construction of household latrines and deep water wells in Jnunyiel, Dillo, and Megado refugee camps, as well as provision of dignity kit for women and girls.
3. Food Security and Livelihood: This involves purchase and provision of breeding sheep, animal feed, and veterinary drugs for refugees in Dillo and Megado refugee camps and host communities; facilitation of recurring cash subsidies for poor women to purchase Boran cattle; and construction of community-based flood diversion infrastructure, spate irrigation systems, and Haffir dam.
4. Capacity Building and Awareness Raising: This involves WASH education and training, community outreach teams, and awareness raising materials.​ Read more here

Ethiopia is the true gateway to African-Israeli relationship - PM

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn is in Israel on a four-day official visit. He is expected to touch on diplomacy and economic cooperation as well as meet nationals who live in Israel.

The Premier arrived in Tel Aviv on Sunday and the state-affiliated news portal (FANA broadcasting corporate) reports that he has already held talks with the President of Israel, Reuven Rivin – their deliberations touched on bilateral and international issues of concern.

“We represent truly the African-Israeli relationship as a gateway to Africa. So we will do everything at our disposal to make Israel-Africa relationship to mature and grow and Ethiopia will take leadership in this regard.

We represent truly the African-Israeli relationship as a gateway to Africa. So we will do everything at our disposal to make Israel-Africa relationship to mature and grow and Ethiopia will take leadership in this regard.

“And rest assured that we will be with you. We know the need for African-Israeli relationship to be deepened,” Reuters quoted Desalegn as saying after the meeting.

He will also be meeting with his counterpart, PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, after the Israeli Premier returns from an Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) summit in Liberia.

His talks with Netanyahu and other top ranking government officials is expected to center around closer cooperation. Agreements are also due to be signed between the two sides at different levels.

Desalegn, on his first official visit to Israel, is scheduled to lay a wreath at Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and tour the old city.

Netanyahu travelled to Ethiopia in July 2016 during the first visit by a sitting Israeli prime minister to Africa in 29 years. Read more here