Drought situation critical in the southeast

The drought situation in southeastern Ethiopia is already "critical" and is expected to deteriorate over the coming months if the rains continue to fail, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said.

Ethiopia, along with Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya, are facing a severe drought with some 11 million people at risk of serious food shortages.

WFP, in an update on the drought in Ethiopia, said the situation in the southern Borena Zone and south-eastern Somali Region, which has been critical for the last two months, was likely to get worse given the forecast of continued dry weather.

"The situation is expected to deteriorate as the ongoing dry season "Jilal" season [January-March] advances," the report said, adding that both "the food and non-food security situation remains critical" in these regions.

"There are concerns over the upcoming main rainy season["gu" rains in March-May] as the National Meteorological Services forecast a rainfall deficit for the already drought-affected areas," the report added.

Some 1.75 million people are affected by the drought in Ethiopia, of whom 1.5 million live in the Somali region and 250.000 in the Borana Zone of Oromiya region, close to the Kenyan border.

Last week, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization appealed for US $18.5 million in emergency aid for those affected by the drought in southern Ethiopia.

Ethiopia's state aid agency, the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Agency, has also started dispatching emergency food aid to 1.5 million people in Somali and 155,000 people in Oromya regions. The aid agency is now using radio broadcasts to inform beneficiaries of upcoming relief food distributions.

The Ethiopian Ministry of Defence has sent troops to participate in the relief effort, by providing military escorts for trucks carrying food and supplies to Somali region, according to the WFP report.

Meanwhile, Ireland has offered nearly $3 million for WFP's operations in the drought-hit Horn of Africa. Part of the contribution will go to operations in Kenya and some to Somalia and Jibouti, a statement issued by WFP on Wednesday said.

"We are tremendously grateful to the government of Ireland for their generous cash contribution which comes at a critical time, when many are living on the edge. The donation will enable WFP to cover the associated costs of moving food contributions by the government of Kenya," said WFP Kenya Country Director Tesema Negash.

According to a comprehensive Short-Rains Food Security Assessment in January conducted by the Kenya government, WFP, and other UN and non-governmental agencies, some 395,000 tonnes of food, valued at US $225 million, is required to assist 3.5 million Kenyans, including 500,000 school children.

WFP Somalia Country Director, Zlatan Milisic, said: "Pastoralists living in southern Somalia, like their brethren in northern and northeastern Kenya, are watching their herds of cattle die, and with them their means of survival."