UN describes situation as "precarious"

UN Resident Coordinator for Eritrea Simon Nhongo told IRIN that the humanitarian situation in Eritrea was "precarious" and that "the situation could easily slide into a catastrophe". UN agencies had appealed for US $42.7 million in January for humanitarian needs, including 62,800 mt of food aid to cover 372,000 people affected by war and over 211,000 hit by drought, but there has been a shortfall in food pledges and deliveries to Eritrea. A significant USAID pledge of 40,000 mt is due to arrive, of which 17,000 mt will go to WFP and the rest to the Eritrean Relief and Refugee Commission (ERREC). Nhongo said donors had reacted to the "more publicised situation" in other areas of the Horn of Africa, but that "people are on the brink" in Eritrea. Requirements for non-food aid are being updated following the recent visit of UN special envoy Catherine Bertini, to go into an overall UN supplementary appeal due to be finalised next week. Most non-food aid required relates to health, water and sanitation. Affected communities have been assisted effectively by ERREC and the government's strategic food reserve, but local coping mechanisms and supplies are under stress, Nhongo said. Presidential adviser Yemane GebreMeskal told IRIN that although communities in Eritrea had been hard hit by drought over the last two or three years, the government had "been able to manage the crisis" up to now "which is why you do not see the sort of images here that you do coming out of Ethiopia".