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Five years after the 1998-2000 border war with Ethiopia, Eritrea continues to endure its aftermath - destroyed houses, mined villages, shattered livelihoods, hunger and malnutrition. With the travails of post-conflict resettlement, the period following the war has heralded a period of fragile peace, great hardship and competing urgent needs. Displacement of persons from their homes, loss of assets and economic impoverishment have been compounded by chronic drought resulting in five consecutive failed harvests and major losses in livestock. Repeated poor seasonal rains in 2004, culminating in food insecurity, indicate another year of crisis, the scale of which is larger than last year's and is further exacerbated by diminishing coping assets in both rural and urban areas. Eritrea continues to require outside assistance, however, the international community's response, especially to critical non-food requirements, has declined from 57% in 2003 to 38% in 2004.
Some 2.2 million persons out of a total population of 3.8 million are unable to feed themselves. In 2004, of the 1.9 million vulnerable persons requiring food aid, only 1.3 million received it. Total food aid needs, taking into account carry-over stocks and commercial imports, have been identified as 505,000 metric tones (MT). Of this total, 384,000 MT is the emergency food aid requirement; of which the World Food Programme (WFP) will resource 262,000 MT. Food shortages are resulting in abnormal grain price increases, which in turn are exacerbating inflationary pressures. Thousands of households require seeds and tools to augment their agricultural production as well as livestock feed and healthcare. These factors, while steadily increasing the number of people below the poverty line, have repercussions on the low nutritional status of women and children and food security in general.
Malnutrition continues to plague Eritreans, with 10-20% chronic malnutrition cases among infants and children in three of the country's six regions. In addition, Eritrea has one of the highest maternal malnutrition rates in the world at 53%. The need for food aid, clean water, increased supplementary and therapeutic feeding and maternal healthcare remains acute.
Large-scale pending returns of increasingly restive internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees are a critical characteristic of this crisis. Over 70,000 IDPs and expellees remain temporarily in unsustainable camps. The Government has recently committed itself to the return and resettlement of 30,000 IDPs and expellees, for which funding is critical. Over one million Eritrean IDPs and refugees who have returned to their home villages since the end of the border conflict are unable to restore their livelihoods and remain dependent on humanitarian assistance. 20% of areas for IDP return are mine-infested, rendering de-mining activities a key priority.
The unresolved issue of the demarcation of the border with Ethiopia continues to demand the attention of peace-making and humanitarian organisations. If hostilities resume, the Country Team and its partners will face even greater emergency response challenges.
Scarce resources have prevented the Government from meeting the enormous needs of its people and the country remains heavily dependent on food and non-food assistance, of which the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) covers approximately 50%. While the Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) goals of saving lives and alleviating suffering are achieved through direct humanitarian activities, the most vulnerable would be at risk if the required assistance is not provided.
Over the years, humanitarian agencies have responded to the crisis in the country with several interventions. In 2005, the humanitarian response must include greater investment in health, water, durable shelter, sanitation and support for internally displaced persons, if people are to recover their dignity. The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in partnership with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), will work together with the Government to provide emergency assistance to vulnerable Eritreans in order to: prevent high levels of acute malnutrition through the provision of food aid and extensive supplementary and therapeutic feeding; ensure basic survival of highly vulnerable groups by providing access to basic services; provide assistance, protection and seek sustainable durable solutions for IDPs, expellees, returnees and refugees; strengthen de-mining activities; and enhance coordination structures and the implementation capacity of Government counterparts and civil society involved in the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The UNCT and participating NGOs are seeking a total of US$ 157,151,179 to fund 24 projects in ten sectors for 2.2 million Eritreans in 2005.
Table I. Summary of Requirements - By Appealing Organisation and By Sector
Consolidated Appeal for
Eritrea 2005
Summary of Requirements - By Appealing Organisation
as of 19 October 2004
http://www.reliefweb.int/fts |
|
| Compiled by OCHA on the basis of information provided by the respective appealing organisation. |
|
| Appealing Organisation |
Original Requirements |
| CARE INT |
999,991 |
| CESVI |
346,348 |
| FAO |
2,195,498 |
| HABEN |
972,000 |
| Mani Tese |
224,711 |
| OCHA |
736,681 |
| UNDP |
9,874,555 |
| UNFPA |
502,250 |
| UNHCR |
12,783,757 |
| UNICEF |
13,090,772 |
| WFP |
114,400,000 |
| WHO |
1,024,616 |
| Grand Total |
157,151,179 |
Consolidated Appeal for
Eritrea 2005
Summary of Requirements - by Sector
as of 19 October 2004
http://www.reliefweb.int/fts |
|
| Compiled by OCHA on the basis of information provided by the respective appealing organisation. |
|
| Sector Name |
Original Requirements |
| AGRICULTURE |
2,924,648 |
| COORDINATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES |
930,931 |
| ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND INFRASTRUCTURE |
2,519,023 |
| EDUCATION |
744,318 |
| FAMILY SHELTER AND NON-FOOD ITEMS |
8,079,818 |
| FOOD |
114,400,000 |
| HEALTH |
5,116,934 |
| MINE ACTION |
3,152,691 |
| MULTI-SECTOR |
12,783,757 |
| WATER AND SANITATION |
6,499,059 |
| Grand Total |
Note: The full text of this appeal is available on-line in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format and may also be downloaded in zipped MS Word format.
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