Situation in three zones “fragile”

The UN has described the humanitarian situation in three of Eritrea’s six administrative zones as a “fragile, threshold situation”. The three affected areas - Anseba, North Red Sea and South Red Sea - are suffering severe drought conditions, caused by two consecutive years of limited or erratic rainfall, the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator said. Affected households have begun to migrate to more food secure areas or to urban centres in search of employment, and there are fears the exodus could increase if no adequate assistance is received.

The situation has also resulted in unsanitary conditions and unsafe drinking water. Although currently there is no widespread famine nor massive disease outbreaks, humanitarian workers warn that conditions could deteriorate within the next few months. The UN in Eritrea commended the government’s efforts to mitigate the effects of drought, but stressed that lack of resources and limited donor response to appeals for aid were limiting the interventions.