At a glance: Djibouti

Funding appeals and humanitarian action updates

Seasonal rain has not brought an end to the emergency in the Horn of Africa and has even compounded the already fragile situation in many places. Outbreaks of diarrhea and other water-borne diseases are reported across the region and torrential rains have caused flash floods in several areas, leading to displacement and loss of homes and livelihoods, especially in Ethiopia and Kenya. Child malnutrition rates are unacceptably high in some regions, especially in Kenya and Somalia. UNICEF would like to express its gratitude to those donors who have already contributed to the emergency response in the Horn of Africa. UNICEF still urgently requires almost US$ 43 million to be able to respond to the immediate and longer-term needs of affected children and their families.
Horn of Africa Donor Update 3 July 2006 [pdf]

More than 8,780,000 people - including 4,455,000 children - are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The failure of crops and loss of livestock have increased morbidity and mortality, including malnutrition, in children. In all five countries, UNICEF is providing cluster coordination leadership in nutrition and water and sanitation, whilst contributing significantly to WHO-led coordination in health, and supporting education and child protection. UNICEF currently has a funding gap of almost US$ 54 million and funding is urgently required to continue the scale-up of life-saving interventions for children and women in drought-affected parts of Djibouti, Kenya, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.
Horn of Africa Donor Update 11 May 2006 [pdf]