Highlights
Ethiopia The food security situation
has not improved over the past months. The government of Ethiopia launched
a new appeal in April 2003, adding 1.2 m people to the previously 11.3
m people identified as in need of food aid. The different surveys
showed highly different nutrition situations, varying from acceptable to
dramatically high. This is probably due to a combination of factors: the
effect of the current drought, the underlying vulnerability of the population
and the adequacy of the humanitarian and long-term response. The
provision of food aid in sufficient quantities seems to play a major role
in the short-term improvement of the nutrition situation. Long-term programmes
are also needed to break the vicious cycle of crises and destitution. The
January 2003 WFP food appeal was fully pledged in July 2003. This does
not include, however, the new April appeal.
On the other hand, in Eritrea, WFP has only 62% of the food required to support 900,000 of the 1.4 m drought-affected people. WFP can only assist 600,000 people, despite food insecurity is expected to worsen until the next harvest, due by October 2003.
Sudan Food security has deteriorated over the past few months in parts of southern Sudan. In highly food- insecure areas, the hunger gap has begun earlier than usual. As a consequence of funding shortfall, WFP has been obliged to cut the food rations distributed in August by 50%. WFP operations in Sudan are only 30% funded. This will have dramatic consequences for populations in desperate need. All the available indicators, ie food security, prevalence of malnutrition and rates of mortality, indicate a steady decline of the situation since 2002 and a major humanitarian crisis. Unless sufficient humanitarian interventions are implemented, it is likely that this trend will continue and the situation will further deteriorate.
Liberia The one million population of the capital and an estimated 250,000 displaced people, who had sought refuge in Monrovia, have been trapped for weeks. Populations have had little access to basic services. Screenings carried out in accessible districts and IDP camps showed a poor nutrition situation. Humanitarian access has slightly improved in Monrovia since the deployment of peace-keeping forces, but about 70% of the country was still inaccessible to humanitarian aid.
Ivory Coast Following the creation of a "weapons-free zone of confidence" in western Ivory Coast, the population which had been displaced by heavy fighting in the area has begun to return home, especially in June 2003. The situation has, however, remained tense. The humanitarian situation in western Ivory Coast is reported to be dire. Many people have been hiding in the bush for months, and find their homes and properties (including cash crops and food stocks) destroyed or looted when returning. Screening at mobile clinics showed a very serious nutrition situation; there was a high proportion of children with oedema.
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