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UN: UN
REPORTS WORSENING HUMANITARIAN CONDITIONS IN ETHIOPIA'S SOMALIA REGION:
19/9/2007 (MaximsNews.com, U.N.)
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UNITED NATIONS - / www.MaximsNews.com@
U.N./
- 19 September 2007 – The humanitarian situation in Ethiopia’s
Somali regional state – one of the country’s poorest areas and home to some
4.5 million people – has deteriorated substantially over the past several
months due to ongoing security operations, according to a United Nations
assessment team that recently visited the region.
Fighting
between the Ethiopian National Defence Forces and the Ogaden National Liberation
Front (ONLF) has led to the doubling of food prices, inadequate access to clean
drinking water and shortages of drugs and other medical supplies, according to a
press release from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The team
observed that household food reserves are nearly exhausted among the communities
it visited and food aid operations in the areas affected by fighting have been
“seriously delayed.” In addition, Government restrictions on commercial and
livestock trade have aggravated an already fragile food security and livelihood
situation.
“Given
the clear suffering of the families in these zones, and the probable
deterioration in their lot, I hope that the Government of Ethiopia and the ONLF
will do everything in their power to ensure immediate, safe and full access for
humanitarian organizations into the region,” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator
John Holmes said.
In its
report, the team urged that emergency food aid be provided immediately for some
600,000 people for three months. It also called for the creation of conditions
to allow a substantial increase in commercial food deliveries throughout the
region as well as increased livestock trade. Drugs for health facilities and
support to establish mobile health teams were also needed.
The team
recommended that reports of a “worrying human rights and protection situation
for the civilian population” be investigated and action taken to protect
civilians, including women and children.
The
report has been shared with the Ethiopian authorities and the UN stands ready to
assist the Government in increasing the delivery of humanitarian assistance and
in following up on the team’s recommendations.
The
inter-agency team included staff from OCHA,
the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food
Programme (WFP), World Health
Organization (WHO), the UN
Department of Safety and Security and the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Labels: United
Nations, U.N.,
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