Horn of Africa Joint Response (Somalia & Ethiopia)

In January 2018 FEWSNET issued a warning pointing to the risk of famine in Somalia and eastern Ethiopia. Despite some improvements in early 2018, with persistent drought conditions as well as conflict in both countries, in the absence of humanitarian assistance many households will still face large food consumption gaps, and dangerous levels of malnutrition. In January, the Horn of Africa Humanitarian Outlook confirmed that across the Horn of Africa nearly 5.2 million children and women were estimated to be acutely malnourished by the end of 2018. IDPs are particularly vulnerable to the effects of food insecurity across the region – both conflict and drought displaced. In several ways the situation is seen to be worse that in 2010-11 because this is the third consecutive year of drought in the region and multiple years of diminished food production has exhausted peoples’ capacity to cope with another shock. In line with government and UN priorities members will focus in four main sectors across the region, with different activities in each location, depending on needs, member and local partner expertise and alignment/complementarity with other programming and funding. These are not stand-alone activities but are part of the wider coordinated response: Food security and livelihoods, WASH, Health, Nutrition.