Drought displaced “extremely vulnerable”

The effects of prolonged regional drought have hit pastoralist communities in Djibouti hard, and have resulted in drought-displaced populations congregating in areas with little infrastructure, health, water and shelter. Humanitarian sources told IRIN that, following last year’s three-year regional drought crisis, there was still concern that some pastoral and displaced populations were extremely vulnerable to malnutrition and disease because of poor livestock conditions and water supplies. Pastoral populations in Yoboki, Dorra, Obock and Ailala Dadda would continue to require assistance until sufficient rains fell to secure livestock production, the source said. Pastoralists needed to maintain present herd sizes and should be protected from selling their animals to purchase food, humanitarian agencies have recommended. Urban areas had generally coped better with the drought because of greater diversification of livelihoods and access to more developed infrastructure. However, agencies noted that Djibouti nomads, especially women and children, had migrated to Djibouti Ville and other urban areas in search of alternative work or assistance from family or aid agencies, failing which they were resorting to begging. Impoverished and displaced families in Djibouti Ville risked high rates of malnutrition and associated diseases. Increased risk was attributed to increased numbers in slums already characterised by poor hygiene and sanitation, and also the reduced ability of family and community members to share increasingly scarce resources, humanitarian sources said.