08 Aug 2022
IDPs living in precarious conditions at Mebrat Hayl site, Sekota, Wag Hemra, Eastern Amhara. (Photo credit: Mengistu Dargie/OCHA Ethiopia)
Daily Noon Briefing Highlights – 8 August 2022
Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, our humanitarian colleagues continue to provide critical assistance to millions of people across the country.
Ethiopia is facing its worst drought in the past 40 years, and the impact is being felt in more areas in the south and east of the country. Over 16 million people are now targeted for assistance as worsening levels of malnutrition are reported, and more than 3.5 million livestock have died.
In the first half of the year over 13 million people received humanitarian assistance in drought-affected areas, including more than 7 million people receiving food aid.
Across Somalia, northern Kenya and southern and eastern Ethiopia, more than 21 million people are already facing high levels of acute food insecurity, following four consecutive failed rainy seasons. The failure of a fifth rainy season this fall is likely.
At the same time, parts of Ethiopia face a risk of flooding in coming weeks and more than 1.7 million people are likely to be affected.
In northern Ethiopia, humanitarian deliveries continue in the Tigray region, but our ability to distribute it has been limited by shortages of fuel and cash.
In a positive development, 12 tankers carrying 600,000 liters of fuel arrived in Tigray on 3 August.
However, our partners estimate that about 2 million liters of fuel are needed each month to sustain operations.
In another positive development, humanitarian food assistance is being distributed in three hard-to-reach districts of Amhara’s Wag Hamra zone for the first time in over a year. A convoy with food for 30,000 people crossed into the area on 27 July. Delivery of additional assistance – including nutrition and health supplies – is being planned.
Ukraine
We and our humanitarian partners have today released a revised Humanitarian Flash Appeal.
More than a quarter of Ukraine’s population, 17.7 million people, will need humanitarian aid in the months ahead, an increase of about 2 million compared to our estimates in April. The appeal has been extended until December due to the worsening situation.
The financial requirements have increased from US$2.25 billion to $4.3 billion.
With $2.38 billion already received toward the Ukraine Flash Appeal, donor support to this emergency has been unprecedented. The Humanitarian Coordinator, Denise Brown, has called on the international community to continue supporting our life-saving operations.
During the upcoming winter, the situation can deteriorate as more people will be displaced from areas with limited access to gas, fuel or electricity. Supporting them is a priority.
During the first five months of the war, at least 2.3 million Ukrainians received cash assistance. We are planning to scale that up to a target of 6.3 million vulnerable people until the end of the year.
Denise Brown stressed that aid groups in Ukraine will need safe and unimpeded access to all war-affected areas.
Since the war began, access has been extremely challenging in areas beyond the control of the Government of Ukraine, and she called on the parties to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law.
oPt
The ceasefire brokered by the United Nations and Egypt as of 23:30 local time last night appears to be holding.
41 Palestinians have been killed, including14 children and four women according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
360 Palestinians were injured, including 151 children, 58 women and 19 older persons according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
47 Israelis have been injured including 3 injured by shrapnel, 31 while running to safe rooms, and 13 with stress symptoms, according to Israeli sources.
86 houses have been destroyed or severely damaged, leaving 84 families or 450 people internally displaced in various locations in Gaza.
Those displaced are residing with hosts and will need temporary shelter arrangements, including critical supplies and cash assistance. Thousands of other houses sustained moderate or minor damage, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Israel has opened the crossings with Gaza today. Erez crossing is open for the passage of Palestinian patients, and United Nations and diplomatic personnel. Karem Shalom is open for the movement of all authorized goods including fuel for the Gaza power plant.
The electricity situation in Gaza is improving and rolling daily power cuts are expected to decline from 20 to 14 hours per day, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The World Food Programme is set to distribute cash assistance to 5,000 people in need.
Humanitarian partners are undertaking needs assessments. At the moment, there appears to be no severe damage to water and sanitation systems. All health facilities remain functional. However, some report the need to replenish trauma and emergency supplies that have been used in response to this crisis.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees is providing services as usual with no disruptions reported on food distribution.