ReliefWeb

Introduction

While Ethiopia continues to battle residual needs from the 2015-2016 El Niño-induced drought, eastern and southern Ethiopia are in the grip of a new drought, which is the result of failed 2016 spring1 and autumn rains exacerbated by weak 2017 spring rains. The Government of Ethiopia and humanitarian partners issued a joint 2017 Humanitarian Requirements Document (HRD) in January 2017 requesting US$948.6 million for food and non-food assistance. In addition to 5.6 million people requiring emergency food assistance, 2.2 million people were included during March as late frosts reduced harvests in some spring rain receiving areas. In addition, some 2.7 million children and pregnant and lactating mothers with moderate acute malnutrition were identified for supplementary feeding (TSF), some 9.2 million people for WaSH support and some 1.9 million households were targeted for livestock support. The Government and partners also estimated that 303,000 children would become severely acutely malnourished and some 2 million school children would require support in school feeding and school WaSH during the year.

However, Ethiopia’s humanitarian context is quickly changing and the gravity of the situation today has already surpassed the needs identified in the 2017 HRD. A further increase in need is expected in the coming months given the poor performance of the spring rains in lowland southern and eastern areas – the third consecutive weak or failed rains in these areas.

Under the leadership of the Government of Ethiopia, delivery of life-saving and life-sustaining humanitarian assistance continues across all sectors amidst significant funding gap. As of 30 June, the 2017 HRD is 58 per cent funded (against the original requirements), with contributions of $316.6 million from international donors and the Government of Ethiopia, as well as $232.9 million carry-over resources from 2016.

This Periodic Monitoring Report (PMR) provides a summary of the cluster financial inputs against outputs and achievements against cluster objectives using secured funding since the launch of the 2017 HRD until the end of June 2017. The PMR also describes changes in the humanitarian context where appropriate. The update on the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund (EHF) provides a detailed funding overview of prioritized projects supported in ‘hotspot’ areas of the country. The PMR complements the HRD, which is structured around three Strategic Objectives: 1) Save lives and reduce morbidity related to drought and acute food insecurity, 2) Protect and restore livelihoods and 3) Prepare for and respond to other humanitarian shocks, including natural disasters, conflict and displacement. The HRD can be accessed using the following link: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/programme-cycle/space/document/ethiopia-humanitarian-requirementsdocument-17-january-2017