HIGHLIGHTS

The global cereal supply and demand situation has further tightened, with a downward revision of the 2006 world cereal production forecast and a projected increase in cereal utilization in 2006/07. At current forecast levels, the utilization would exceed production by 3.3 percent in 2006/07. World cereal stocks are forecast to decline for the third consecutive year, with those of wheat falling to their lowest level since 1981.

Cereal export prices have increased sharply in recent months, mainly in response to tightening world supplies and by November 2006 were well above their levels of a year earlier. Because of higher prices, the cereal import bill of the Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) is forecast to increase by 15 percent in 2006/07.

However, higher prices are also encouraging larger plantings of 2007 crops. Wheat planting has been completed in the main producing regions and early prospects are favourable, with increased areas reported and satisfactory weather conditions so far.

Severe floods in the Horn of Africa in the past weeks have adversely affected up to 1.8 million people in Kenya, Ethiopia and, in particular, Somalia. Hundreds of thousands of people are urgently in need of humanitarian assistance. Despite the flooding, overall prospects for the 2006 cereal crops, now being harvested, in Eastern Africa remain favourable.

In the developing countries, the 2006 cereal production has increased, or is projected to increase in almost all regions of the world, in particular Africa and Asia. As a result of the improved supplies in Africa, per caput cereal consumption is expected to rise in the 2006/07 marketing year.

Following bumper harvests and ample cereal supplies in countries of Western and Southern Africa, and in order to support domestic prices, donors are encouraged to undertake local purchases and triangular transactions for their on-going food aid distribution programmes.

(pdf* format - 897 KB)

HIGHLIGHTS

Favourable prospects for 2007 world cereal crops, mainly following expansion of plantings in Europe and North America, coupled with generally satisfactory weather conditions.

FAO's latest estimates put global cereal output in 2006 at just under 2 billion tonnes, 2.7 percent lower than in the previous year but still above average. In percentage terms production of wheat declined the most, then coarse grains, while the reduction for rice is seen to be marginal.

The bulk of the decline in the 2006 world cereal output was among the major producing and exporting countries.

The 2006 cereal production in the group of LIFDCs increased significantly, with record or good crops in most regions of the world. As a result, cereal import requirements, including food aid, have declined in 2006/07 in many of these countries, mostly in Africa.

Record or above-average 2006 cereal crops have been gathered in North, Western, Central, Eastern and most countries of Southern Africa, as well as in Far East Asia and the Asian CIS. Local purchases of cereals are recommended for food aid programmes in order to support prices.

Despite the overall favourable food supply outlook for 2007, food security problems persist in several countries due to localized crop losses and or civil conflict.

HIGHLIGHTS

World cereal production in 2007 remains on course to reach a record level of 2 095 million tonnes, but with some major crops yet to be planted, the forecast is still tentative.

Based on the current 2007 production outlook, global cereal supplies are forecast to increase in the new 2007/08 marketing season. However, with carryover stocks at their lowest level since the early 80s, total supplies would still be barely adequate to meet the anticipated demand, which is forecast to increase strongly boosted by the fast-growing biofuels industry.

International prices for most cereals have risen signi?cantly in 2006/07 so far, and are likely to remain high in 2007/08. As a result, the cereal import bill of the LIFDCs is forecast to increase by about onequarter in the current season.

In the LIFDCs as a group, production prospects point to a 2007 cereal output similar to last year's good level. However, excluding China and India, the largest producers, the aggregate crop of the remaining countries is forecast to decline slightly.

In North Africa, a sharp decline is expected in 2007 aggregate cereal production, mainly re?ecting dry conditions in Morocco, which are anticipated to halve the country's wheat production this year.

In Southern Africa, an aggregate reduced cereal harvest is being gathered for the second year in succession. In drought-affected Zimbabwe, a huge rise in the price of the basic staple maize is anticipated. By contrast, in Malawi, an ample exportable surplus is available following a bumper harvest.

Despite improved food supply in many of the countries normally most at risk from food insecurity, following record or bumper 2006 cereal crops, food dif?culties persist in 33 countries worldwide.

High Profile Operations

Many high profile operations also face critical pipeline breaks in the next three months.

Afghanistan

PRRO 10427.0 - Post Conflict Relief and Rehabilitation

January 06 - December 08

Part I: Operational Requirements and Shortfalls

Overview of the 2007 Programme of Work

As the end of 2007 nears, the number of people the World Food Programme is seeking to support has risen to 83 million. The amount of food assistance required to assist these people is valued at US$3.4 billion. Considering resources mobilized thus far in 2007, the current level of funding falls short by some US$653 million.

Additional resources amounting to approximately US$800 million are required before the end of 2007 to ensure uninterrupted food aid deliveries for ongoing activities. Therefore, the total current resourcing needs until the end of 2007 amount to US$1.5 billion. It is also equally critical at this time to mobilize resources to meet needs in early 2008. Needs for 2008 have been documented in detail in the "Projected 2008 Needs for WFP Projects and Operations" ("the Blue Book") which is available on WFP's website (www.wfp.org/Appeals).

Since the last printing of this document for the Annual Session of the Executive Board (June 2007), beneficiaries have increased by nearly 5 million. This is attributable primarily to increased caseloads in Bangladesh, DPR Korea, Nepal and Côte d'Ivoire.

The bulk of WFP's operations are focused in sub-Saharan Africa, which requires over 71 percent of total needs in 2007. Of this, Sudan with six different projects requires some 23 percent of the total needs, or US$769 million.

In relative terms, the regional bureau with the greatest shortfall is the Latin American and Caribbean Bureau (ODP) which stands at 35.1 percent of 2007 needs unmet. This is closely followed by the Asia Bureau (ODB) with a shortfall of 34.8 percent. The sub-Saharan bureaux are showing shortfalls averaging around 13 percent, while the Middle East, Central Asia and Eastern Europe Bureau (ODC) is relatively the best resourced bureau, with only 0.6 percent of 2007 needs still to be raised. However, given the time lag between contributions being confirmed and food arriving in beneficiaries' hands, resources are urgently required to enable WFP to assist the needy in all geographic regions.

In relative terms, EMOPs are the best resourced with 87 percent of needs met for 2007. The other programme categories are close behind with resourced levels of 85 and 82 percent for PRROs and Development respectively.

"The number of people threatened by natural disasters had increased by three times over the last 30 years and the number of people affected by natural disasters doubled every 10 years. Tens of millions of people had been affected this year by floods in countries all over the world. The link between the increase in disasters and climate change, which had been predicted by scientists, was unmistakable. Also, more people were now living in exposed areas. Some of the biggest cities in the world were built in disaster zones. Their poorest inhabitants were living in slums near those disaster zones and were, therefore, even more vulnerable. That could lead to mega disasters in mega cities"

-John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

Floods in Africa hit around 2 million people

Some two million people have been affected by recent flooding in 22 countries in Africa, 650,000 have lost their homes, and 200 have been killed. These figures could increase in the weeks to come as the seasonal rains are expected to continue until the end of October. These floods coincide with the most critical time of the year, the lean season when West African families mostly in the Sahel region face food insecurity. The destruction of crop and food stocks has aggravated the vulnerability of poor families and needs to be addressed promptly through emergency and recovery interventions.

West Africa

West Africa is experiencing some of its worst floods in 35 years with over 800,000 affected in 15 countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Gambia, Liberia, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Sierra Leone, Benin and Ghana).

The situation is especially worrisome in the following countries: Ghana (over 330,000 affected), Togo (over 120,000 affected), Burkina Faso (over 92,900 affected) and Mali (over 42,000 affected). The United Nations has allocated $4.9 million emergency humanitarian assistance to Mali ($1 million), Ghana ($2.5 million) and Togo ($1.4 million) in response to floods that have inundated these three countries since August.

The CERF allocations are meant to immediately improve the living conditions of 155,000 people in these three countries - 75,000 in Ghana, 60,000 in Togo and 20,000 in Mali. The funding will support projects developed by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the United DJERBA HOTEL ISIS ET SPA Fund (UNFPA), as well as their partners.

On 4 October, United Nations and partner organizations launched a $10million Flash Appeal for Ghana, and on 26 October a $6 million for Burkina Faso.

FOREWORD

In 2007, natural and man-made disasters continued to take a toll on the lives of people. Flooding, cyclones, landslides and tropical storms have threatened lives and livelihoods on every continent. And in many parts of the world, from Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Iraq, Zimbabwe and Sudan, children and women continue to bear the brunt of conflict, displacement and deteriorating living conditions.

An important lesson learned from major emergencies is that timely and flexible funding enables humanitarian actors to respond rapidly and most effectively to priorities established with national counterparts. To ensure timely availability of funds, UNICEF has increased its Emergency Programme Fund (EPF) to US$ 75 million per biennium.

Throughout the year, UNICEF and its partners have worked to meet the needs and rights of affected children and women. Partnerships are key to making a lasting difference for them and UNICEF has focused on further expanding its partnerships with communities, governments, NGOs, UN agencies and the private sector. Experience has taught us that children and communities must be equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to better prepare and cope with disasters.

Coordination is crucial for effective delivery of humanitarian aid. A strong supporter of humanitarian reform, UNICEF continues to work with its partners to improve the coordination of humanitarian response in all sectors. UNICEF is the global cluster lead for nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene and common data services. In education, UNICEF and the Save the Children Alliance are leading the cluster. The successful response to the floods in Mozambique is a good example of how improved coordination allows humanitarian actors to respond better to the needs of affected populations.

UNICEF continues to strengthen its early warning system and country offices' preparedness to respond to disasters. Important measures are being taken to further enhance preparedness and response skills of UNICEF and its partners.

The 2008 Humanitarian Action Report outlines UNICEF's appeal for 39 emergencies around the world. We count on the continued support and generosity of our donors to help ensure the survival, protection and well-being of women and children in these emergency situations.

Ann M. Veneman
Executive Director

Funding Trends and Their Impact on Operations

Analysis of the 2008 Programme of Work

WFP's requirements dramatically increased, when a US$300 million budget revision for 2008 for Ethiopia was approved on 28 August. From January to June, Ethiopia's PRRO has seen its planned relief caseload quadrupling, from 1.2 million beneficiaries to 4.6 million because of the deadly effects of a severe drought. Now the operation needs an additional 380,000 mt of food to meet new requirements. The crisis is affecting the Horn of Africa, where the lives of 15.7 million vulnerable people in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Djibouti are threatened. The situation is further exacerbated by high food prices (go to page 6 for an update on the crisis).

Total 2008 gross needs for the organization's beneficiaries have risen by 14 percent (from US$4.9 to US$5.5 billion) over the past month alone and are projected to reach nearly US$6 billion by year-end. With US$4.4 billion already mobilized (including carry-over and confirmed contributions) and considering the US$1 billion that WFP must mobilize in advance to ensure continued pipeline activity, the total shortfall in resources currently stands just below US$2.3 billion.

Compared to July 2008, the number of hungry poor receiving assistance has increased by over five million, to over 89 million. Besides the crisis in the Horn of Africa, the new EMOP in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is supporting 4.8 million people affected by floods and rising food and fuel prices.

Other budget revisions submitted for approval including Djibouti, Somalia, Chad, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan will further raise WFP's gross needs in the coming months. These budget revisions are currently under review and their value, which may change, is not accounted for in the Programme of Work until final approval.

PRROs account for more than half of all of WFP's 2008 operations, while EMOPs are worth one-third, development less than 10 percent and special operations approximately 5 percent.

WFP's Programme of Work by project category

Executive Summary

Arab nations recognize the impacts of on-going environmental degradation, rapid unplanned urbanization, acute water scarcity, a changing demography and migration trends on achieving sustainable development goals for the region. Secondary risks associated with population displacement, disease outbreak, pandemic influenza, food insecurity, conflict and civil unrest pose multi-fold challenges to the region, on a larger scale than ever before. This recognition is coupled with the immediate responsibility to effectively manage and cope with frequent local and trans-boundary disasters that arise from changing geologies and increasing climate variations across the region.

It is clear that disasters have a direct impact on lives, infrastructure and livelihoods. It’s equally important to recognize their medium to long term impacts; seen in the movement of people and livestock to other host areas with limited resources, the development of unsafe informal settlements in urban centres, limited availability and access to transport, health, education and other basic public services in hazard prone areas.

In accordance with its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals1 and in line with the role identified for regional inter-governmental organizations in the Hyogo Framework for Action2, the League of Arab States has taken the lead in promoting the integration of disaster risk reduction measures in regional policies on sustainable development, climate change adaptation, environment and disaster management coordination mechanisms. Additionally, the need to articulate a strategic approach to protect Arab socio-economic development gains by enhancing the effectiveness of disaster risk management measures, the adoption of risk reduction strategies and climate change adaptation plans, has been prominently stated in recent regional forums.

With regard to the Great East Japan Earthquake, as of 12:00 on Thursday, June 23, 2011, Japan has received offers of assistance from the 160 countries and regions (increased from 159 in the previous press release) and 43 international organizations.

The following country made a new offer:

Islamic Republic of Mauritania

(*This is a provisional translation. The above date denotes the date of the issue of the original press release in Japanese.)

(END)

In response to the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania made a donation of 138.5 million ouguiya (approximately 45.7 million yen) as relief money for Japan.

From Mauritania, letters and messages of sympathy were sent from H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. In addition, words of sympathy and support have been extended at various levels. On Thursday, June 6, H.E. Mr. Hamadi Ould Hamadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mauritania, extended words of sympathy to Mr. Hiroshi Azuma, Ambassador of Japan to Mauritania, and proposed assistance for Japan.

The Government of Japan deeply appreciates assistance extended by the Government of Mauritania and its people.

(*This is a provisional translation. The above date denotes the date of the issue of the original press release in Japanese.)

There are many parts of the world suffering from malnutrition and hunger that adversely affect mental and physical growth of the affected individuals. Many a times, these effects are irreversible. Apart from being an unacceptable phenomenon morally, hunger also acts as an obstruction to the economic and social growth of the poorest nations. Recent food crises and economic downturns have further deteriorated the situation especially in areas like the Horn of Africa and Sahel.

Economists attribute the growing food insecurities to factors such as decline in food stocks, population growth, volatile prices of energy and food, recent climate changes and link between current financial markets and the future of agriculture. These factors have both short and long term consequences that can push certain economies deeper into poverty.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development defines poverty as a state which “encompasses different aspects of deprivation that relate to human capabilities including consumption and food security, health, education, rights, voice, security, dignity and decent work”. But poverty can’t be seen merely as an effect of hunger. Both phenomena are part of a bigger vicious circle. Poverty is one of the primary causes of hunger. It can be caused by malnutrition that affects the physical and mental capacities of people, lowering their economic productivity and outcome. Malnutrition is one of the results of extreme hunger. Thus, there runs a cycle of cause and effect that impacts the human capital as a whole.

The development and growth of the most vulnerable of communities will seem an unachievable target until issues of hunger and malnutrition are not catered to. In this context, development essentially means combating food insecurities in order to fight poverty. Most of the international NGOs and charities work towards the common goal of alleviating poverty and responding to food security issues forms an integral part of their action plan. Providing food assistance to the poor and vulnerable can be undertaken both as a short term as well as a long term response.

The short term responses cater mainly to countries which are currently facing a crisis or are in a post crisis situation. Such scenarios require immediate and effective mobilisation of resources for improving the nutrition levels of affected people, restoring their livelihoods, at least at the basic level, and re-establishing a zone of food security. Various tools are employed by international humanitarian agencies for ensuring these goals, including monitoring of nutrition levels, screening, treatment, restoring access to resources and services for livestock rearing and agriculture and providing supplies and cash vouchers for food to the affected populations. Muslim Aid, for instance, distributed over 80,650 food packets to the Tsunami affected regions of Sri Lanka to help restore food security.

As a long term response, the international community has realised the importance of agriculture for tackling food insecurity and thereby, poverty. Thus, humanitarian projects to revive and promote agriculture are essential in the current global situation. Also, concentration should be more on food production for local needs rather than export in the developing countries. Social transfer also provides direct support for the vulnerable communities by allowing a better management of unprecedented shocks through provision of regular contributions or services by NGOs or the government to individuals and households. Unlike acute interventions during emergencies, these transfers, via food, voucher or money distribution, can be scheduled enabling households to keep their livelihoods intact during difficult situations like flood or drought. This will ultimately accelerate the rehabilitation process if a crisis or disaster strikes.

Malnutrition or under-nutrition also needs to be addressed in order to break the vicious circle. Specific attention needs to be paid to women and young children who usually fall victims to malnutrition first. It is also vital for international NGOs, like Muslim Aid, to address the other aspects that cause malnutrition, such as access to drinking water, healthcare, hygiene, access to education and better livelihood opportunities etc. Therefore, the impetus falls on the international humanitarian institutions to devise plans and projects that cater to the problem of food insecurity and malnutrition for breaking the cycle that is affecting various international communities and taking a heavy toll on the individuals and the economy at large.

The copyright of this article is held by the Information and Public Affairs Department of Muslim Aid, UK. Use of its contents is allowed subject to acknowledgement. The opinions expressed in this article are solely of the author and do not represent the point of view of Muslim Aid.

By: Marya Jabeen, Information & Public Affairs Assistant, Muslim Aid

In Syria, opposition forces launched a coordinated offensive in the capital Damascus for two consecutive days on 6 February. Heavy fighting was also reported in Deir Al-Zor, Daraya, Aleppo and Homs. The number of Syrian refugees continued to rise over the past week, amounting to a total of 792,118, an increase of around 59,000 newly registered refugees or individuals awaiting registration compared to last week.

In Mali, suicide attacks and fighting were reported from the city of Gao over the last three days. Military progress in the centre and north of Mali has improved humanitarian access, although conditions remain unstable.

213,000 people are affected by floods in Mozambique. In addition, a cholera outbreak was confirmed in the north of the country.

On 6 February an 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Santa Cruz Islands in the southeast Solomon Islands archipelago. According to Government reports, 13 people were killed and around 6,000 affected.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck southern Colombia on 9 February, injuring 15 people, destroying 100 houses and damaging some 2,000 houses, according to authorities. No information is currently available on the number of people affected.

40,000 people are affected by heavy rains and floods in Bolivia.

Global Emergency Overview web interface

In Syria, insurgents heightened their offensive to capture airports and air bases in Aleppo, leading to intense fighting across the province. In eastern Syria, rebels captured the town al-Shaddadeh after three days of fighting that left 130 people dead and forced some 40,000 people to flee the town. The number of Syrian refugees continued to rise, amounting to a total of 830,675, an increase of around 38,500 newly registered refugees or individuals awaiting registration in a week.

French and Malian troops continued efforts to secure Gao and its surroundings in northern Mali. Although humanitarian access in central regions and parts of the north continues to improve and aid is increasing in the accessible parts, security remains a serious threat in parts of the north due to the on-going military operations, threat of mines by armed groups, recent intra-military clashes and suicide bombings.
Torrential rains in Peru have caused floods and landslides in the Arequipa province in southern Peru, affecting some 48,000 people. Nationwide, some 91,128 people have been affected by floods and landslides since the start of the rainy season in October 2012.

Global Emergency Overview web interface

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, is on a visit to Bali, Indonesia, from 12 to 16 October to participate in the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group.

Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka will speak at a high-level event on the Sahel organized by the United Nations, in partnership with the World Bank, the G5 Sahel and the Alliance Sahel, on 13 October. During the event, two initiatives on climate-smart agriculture and renewable energy that will specifically target women and youth in the Sahel region were launched.

Even though women are responsible for producing over 80% of the food consumed in the Sahel region, there is a gender gap in agricultural productivity in the region. Women have unequal access to key agricultural inputs such as land, fertilizer, technology, improved seeds and information. They can’t access finance and bank lending as well as access the market to sell their produce especially as smallholder women farmers.

These new projects are aimed at accelerating prosperity and lasting peace in the region by empowering vulnerable populations. This will be done by transforming agricultural systems in ways that support sustainable development and safeguard food security through climate-smart agriculture approaches.

During the visit, the Executive Director will also participate at an event with Plan International to mark the International Day of the Girl Child (October 11), where they will hear the testimonies of girls affected by recent natural disasters in Indonesia.

She will also participate in a session on financing initiatives focused on women’s economic empowerment and entrepreneurship at the Women Entrepreneurs Financing Initiative (We-Fi) meeting, a partnership among 14 governments, eight multilateral development banks (MDBs), and other public and private sector stakeholders, hosted by the World Bank Group. Meetings with Government authorities to discuss UN Women support to their work on gender equality, especially on ending discriminatory laws and harmful gender practices will also take place.

FUNDING REQUIRED $25.32B

FUNDING RECEIVED $10.63B

UNMET REQUIREMENTS COVERAGE $14.69B

COVERAGE 42%

PEOPLE IN NEED 133.8M

PEOPLE TO RECEIVE AID 97.4M

COUNTRIES AFFECTED 41

Spotlight on the recent disaster in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

On Friday 28 September, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. On 5 October, the Government and country team/regional office issued the Central Sulawesi Earthquake Response Plan to support the six priority areas identified by the Government. Some existing programmes in Sulawesi will be augmented and others entailing WASH, health, camp management and logistics activities will be developed.

The response plan will focus on immediate response over a three-month period. On 2 October and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock (USG/ERC) announced an allocation of US$15 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to bolster relief assistance for people affected by this emergency

Global appeal status

At the end of September 2018, 21 Humanitarian Response Plans (HRP) and the Syria Regional Response Plan (3RP) require $25.32 billion to assist 97.4 million people in urgent need of humanitarian support. The plans are funded at $10.63 billion; this amounts to 42 per cent of financial requirements for 2018. For the remainder of 2018, humanitarian organizations require another $14.69 billion to meet the needs outlined in these plans.

Global requirements are $1.13 billion higher than at this time last year. Overall coverage and the dollar amount were only marginally higher in late September 2018 than at the same time in 2017.

High-level events The USG/ERC made a strong appeal for HRP funding for South Sudan and Yemen at two high-level events at UN headquarters last month. At an event on 25 September on the crisis in South Sudan during the General Assembly, the USG/ERC asked that donors sustain their generous and large response to the crisis to enable life-saving activities and to encourage a multi-year approach to crisis response with stronger focus on stabilization, resilience and recovery from the conflict. In his statement to the Security Council on Yemen on 21 September, he announced that we may now be approaching a tipping point beyond which it will be impossible to prevent massive loss of life as a result of widespread famine across the country.

Three days later, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen reiterated the call for more funding and more humanitarian partners on the ground to respond to the unprecedented emergency in Yemen.
The UNHCR Commissioner and USG/ERC ended a mission to Afghanistan last month with a call for donors to urgently increase and sustain support for humanitarian response in the country, and to take measures to find durable solutions for millions of people caught up in Afghanistan’s displacement crisis.
On 3-4 September, in a follow-up event to the 2017 Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region, Germany, Nigeria, Norway and the UN co-hosted the High-Level Conference on the Lake Chad Region in Berlin. On this occasion, UN Member States, international organizations and civil society actors discussed humanitarian assistance, stabilization and development cooperation in the region. Humanitarian and development announcements made at the conference totalled $2.17 billion and it is estimated that $1.02 billion was for humanitarian assistance in 2018 for Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. Of that amount, approximately $875 million (86%), has been made available to recipient organizations.

International financial institutions pledged an additional $467 million in concessional loans.

Concerning pledging conferences this year, according to data reported to FTS by donors and recipient organizations as of 18 September, 95 per cent of pledges have been fulfilled for Yemen, 91 per cent of pledges have been fulfilled for Somalia, and 82 per cent of pledges have been fulfilled for DRC. In each of these countries, many donors have contributed above and beyond their original announcements.
For Syria and the Region, the EU recently published a tracking report on announcements made in Brussels in April which can be accessed here:

www.consilium.europa.eu/media/36437/syria-report-six.pdf Donors are urged to quickly fulfil outstanding pledges made at the conferences and to consider providing additional funding before the end of the year.

Pooled funds

Between 1 January and 30 September 2018, the Emergency Relief Coordinator approved $395 million in grants from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), including $265 million from the Rapid Response Window and $130 million from the Underfunded Emergencies Window, for life-saving activities in 38 countries. A total of $40 million was released in September to assist people affected by underfunded emergencies in Angola, Bangladesh, Burundi, Central African Republic and Rwanda; as well as people affected by flooding in India and Myanmar, and Venezuelan refugees and migrants arriving in Ecuador and Peru.

Country-based pooled funds (CBPFs) have received a total of US$667 million from 31 donors between January and September 2018. During this period, the 18 operational funds have allocated $478 million to 921 projects, implemented by 525 partners. Over 60 per cent of all CBPF allocations were disbursed to NGOs, including 21 per cent ($100.6 million) directly to national NGOs. Another 36 per cent was allocated to UN agencies and a smaller portion to Red Cross/Red Crescent organizations, which have received 1.2 per cent of funding ($5.8 million) for direct project implementation. The first allocation for 2018 of the Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF) for $90 million is ongoing and focuses on covering gaps in first-line responses in cluster strategies and providing life-saving support to people in newly accessible and hard-to-reach areas. In Ethiopia, the Humanitarian Coordinator launched a $30 million reserve allocation targeting immediate and life-saving activities in the nutrition, health, WASH, agriculture/livestock, emergency shelter/NFI, education and protection sectors. Finally, reserve allocations were also ongoing in Afghanistan and Myanmar during September.

In Myanmar, an integrated CBPF and CERF allocation strategy ($1 million CBPF reserve and $2.95 million CERF) prioritized projects aligned with the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund (MHF) operating principles and the CERF Life Saving Criteria, aiming at achieving the main objective of addressing critical unmet needs of flood‐affected people across the country, particularly the most vulnerable people.

Country updates

The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated considerably over the past year, primarily due to the drought, but also as a result of worsening violence. Overall, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance and protection services in Afghanistan has increased dramatically since the beginning of 2018, from 3.3 million people to 5.5 million people. Over half of the needs are generated by conflict and population movement. In the meantime, chronic vulnerabilities such as poverty, food insecurity, and unemployment are also increasing. Afghanistan is experiencing its most severe drought since 2011, with some 20 provinces affected by significantly reduced rainfall from winter snow. Some 2.2 million chronically food insecure people are on the verge of acute food insecurity, with four provinces – Badakhshan, Badghis, Faryab and Herat – likely to pitch into a state of emergency unless they receive comprehensive and sustained humanitarian assistance. Drought-related displacement is growing in volume and geographical scope – now constituting 40 percent (119,000) of the overall number of people displaced in Afghanistan in 2018. It is likely that the Afghan population – some 15 million of whom are dependent on the agriculture sector across these 20 provinces for livelihoods – will take years to recover. Overall, more than 12 million Afghans have been displaced internally or abroad during the last four decades of conflict, natural hazards, disasters and the resulting socio-economic upheaval.

Since 25 August 2017, extreme violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar, has driven over 727,000 Rohingya refugees across the border into Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Statelessness imposed over generations has rendered this population seriously vulnerable, even before the severe traumas of this most recent crisis. The vast majority of these refugees now live in congested sites that are ill-equipped to handle the monsoon rains and cyclone seasons – with alarmingly limited options for evacuation. Low levels of funding are seriously hampering the capacity of humanitarian to respond effectively to the scale and scope of the humanitarian needs in the refugee camps, particularly to ensure safe shelter, appropriate educational options, nutritional support, and most critically, the quality of health services available for an extremely vulnerable population. For example, with the health sector only 23 per cent funded, programming for non-communicable diseases, malaria, TB, and HIV/AIDS remains insufficient, and partners are struggling to scale up service provision which is critical for emergencies including obstetric emergencies.

The alarming financial shortfall for humanitarian programmes in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has had detrimental consequences on the lives of the most vulnerable. More than 40 per cent (10.3 million) of the population remains undernourished. One in five children under-five is stunted with likely irreversible physical and cognitive repercussions. More than 9 million people lack access to essential health services. Pregnant women, young children and people living with diseases, in particular, struggle to access the care they need. Those living in rural areas are most at risk. Recent floods in North and South Hwanghae provinces have affected 280,000 people, killed 76 and displaced over 10,500 people, and chronic underfunding is making it difficult for UN agencies and their partners to respond to needs caused by the natural disasters that frequently hit the country. The 2018 Needs and Priorities plan seeks $111 million to assist 6 million out of 10.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

The prospect of protracted displacement in Iraq is real, warranting a whole-of-system approach to respond to needs and work toward durable solutions. Some 1.9 million Iraqis remain displaced, with insecurity, lack of livelihood opportunities, destroyed housing, and explosive remnants of war contamination among the key barriers to returning. Considerable protection concerns exist, especially for women and children with perceived ties to ISIL. Critical funding gaps are hampering the response, particularly in food security, health, shelter and non-food item sectors, and the WASH sector. Urgent funding priorities include water supply interventions in the south, especially in Basra, which is experiencing water shortages and a gastrointestinal disease outbreak. Child health and nutrition services for up to 180,000 pregnant and lactating mothers, 300,000 children under the age of five and 5,000 newborn babies lack adequate funding.

The level of humanitarian need in Myanmar remains high and is driven by multiple factors including armed conflict, protracted displacement, inter-communal violence, statelessness, segregation, discrimination, food insecurity and vulnerability to natural disasters. More than 720,000 people – mostly stateless Rohingya Muslims – were forced to flee the country in August last year and there remains little tangible progress on addressing the root causes of violence and discrimination against this population. More than 128,000 Muslims confined in camps, some since violence erupted in 2012, have little to no access to essential services. In Kachin and Shan, persistent cycles of displacement due to conflict continue to raise serious protection concerns, with annual flooding exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. In both areas of the country, access remains a critical challenge.

Recent violence in Tripoli has highlighted the fragile situation in Libya. Thousands of people have been displaced, including families staying in schools converted into makeshift IDP shelters. The violence led to a breakdown in basic services, with frequent electricity cuts and compromised access to water. The situation is compounded by liquidity challenges which deepen needs among the most vulnerable. Humanitarian partners are responding to pre-existing and new needs, but the response is undermined by underfunding. With only 24 per cent of financial requirements covered, the ability of partners to provide assistance in life-saving sectors such as water, sanitation and hygiene and protection, as well as education, is limited. Additional funds are required to support a nation-wide measles vaccination campaign, targeting 3 million children against the backdrop of an ongoing outbreak.

South Sudan continues to experience extensive humanitarian needs, including dire levels of food insecurity and malnutrition. In September, 6.1 million people (59% of the population) faced crisis, emergency, or catastrophe levels (IPC Phase 3-5) of food insecurity. This includes 47,000 people in catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5). Urgent funding is needed in the coming months to procure and preposition food and other life-saving supplies during the approaching dry season, when these activities are most cost-effective. Food insecurity is expected to decline slightly following the October-December harvest, and rise again in January-March, when 5.2 million people are expected to be in IPC Phases 3-5, including 36,000 in IPC Phase 5. Resources are also needed to scale up preparedness and capacity to respond to Ebola Virus Disease. Though no cases have been reported in South Sudan, there is a risk of cross-border spread.

An agreement on 17 September to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib, Syria, provided a reprieve for close to three million people placed at risk by a major military escalation in the area, of whom more than two million were already in need of humanitarian assistance. Civilian deaths and injuries due to airstrikes and shelling, as well as displacement and attacks impacting health facilities, were reported in the Idlib area in the weeks prior to the announcement of the agreement. Response and readiness efforts continued in Idlib and other parts of the north-west, drawing to a large extent on cross-border assistance channels from Turkey. Despite significant access challenges, humanitarian assistance continued to be provided across the country, including in areas that had recently come under Government control such as eastern Ghouta, northern rural Homs and much of the south-west. Cross-border assistance to the south-west under the framework of Security Council resolution 2393 remained suspended, but assistance was delivered from Damascus, primarily through the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC). Deployment of an inter-agency convoy from Damascus to Rukban on the Syria-Jordan border became increasingly urgent, with reports of a deterioration of the humanitarian situation in a camp estimated to be hosting up to 45,000 people. The situation in eastern Deir-Ez-Zor, in the east of the country, also deteriorated, with clashes linked to counter-ISIL operations displacing thousands in rural areas with limited humanitarian access and reports of restrictions on the onward movement of displaced people.

Steep economic decline accelerated in Yemen in September, with the Yemeni riyal losing about 30 per cent of its value against the US dollar during the month. Because Yemen imports the vast majority of its food and other basic commodities, this has translated into sharp rises in prices of food, fuel and other essentials – placing these goods increasingly out of reach for millions of Yemenis at a time when famine remains a real threat. In parallel, conflict in Hudaydah has intensified, with about 550,000 people displaced by the violence since 1 June. Aid operations have dramatically expanded, reaching 8 million people with direct assistance across the country every month. Partners have provided rapid response kits to nearly all families recently displaced from Hudaydah, as well as additional assistance based on assessed needs. Generous funding has been key: the 2018 HRP has received US$1.96 billion, or 67 per cent of requirements. Despite these achievements, recent developments threaten to overwhelm the operation’s capacity to respond. Urgent steps are needed to stabilize the economy, keep all ports and main roads open, uphold international humanitarian law, and move towards a political solution. Partners are also seeking full funding for the $3 billion HRP in order to deliver all activities in the plan.

United Nations-coordinated Appeals

FUNDING REQUIRED $25.20B

FUNDING RECEIVED $11.97B

UNMET REQUIREMENTS $13.23B

COVERAGE 47.5%

PEOPLE IN NEED 135.3 M

PEOPLE TO RECEIVE AID 97.9 M

COUNTRIES AFFECTED 41

Global Humanitarian Funding

FUNDING RECEIVED $17.98B

UN-COORDINATED APPEALS $11.97B

OTHER FUNDING $6.01B

Global Appeal Status

• At the end of October 2018, 21 Humanitarian Response Plans (HRP) and the Syria Regional Response Plan (3RP) require US$25.20 billion to assist 97.9 million people in urgent need of humanitarian support. The plans are funded at $11.97 billion; this amounts to 47.5 per cent of financial requirements for 2018. Requirements are lower than in September 2018 due to revision of the Ethiopia Humanitarian and Disaster Resilience Plan (HDRP). For the remainder of 2018, humanitarian organizations require another $13.23 billion to meet the needs outlined in these plans.

• Global requirements are $1.10 billion higher than at this time last year. Overall coverage and the dollar amount were only marginally higher in late October than at the same time in 2017.

• On 8 October the Government of Ethiopia and humanitarian partners issued a Mid-Year Review of the HDRP. The revised plan reflects changes in the humanitarian context, and requires $1.49 billion for 2018, as opposed to the March 2018 requirement of $1.6 billion to reach some 7.88 million people in need of food or cash relief assistance and 8.49 million people with non-food assistance in the course of the year. Despite the general good performance of this year’s belg (spring) rains, the number of people targeted for relief food and cash support remains largely unchanged due to the significant spike in internal displacement since April 2018.

Security Council Briefings and High Level Missions

• At a briefing to the Security Council on 23 October, Under-Secretary-General/Emergency Relief Coordinator (USG/ERC) Mark Lowcock called on all stakeholders to do everything possible to avert catastrophe in Yemen. In a follow up note on the humanitarian situation in Yemen of 30 October, the USG/ERC thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States, Kuwait, the United Kingdom and all donors for the record amount raised for the humanitarian appeal in 2018 which had meant nearly 8 million people had received assistance across the country; more than 7 million people had received food and more than 420,000 children been treated for malnutrition; clean water, sanitation and basic hygiene support is now available to 7.4 million people and about 8 million men, women, girls and boys had benefited from health services.

• At a Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in Syria on 29 October, the USG/ERC urged the Security Council and key Member States to ensure that the ceasefire holds in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib to prevent a military onslaught and overwhelming humanitarian suffering. He thanked donors for the $1.7 billion contributed so far towards the HRP for Syria, but pointed out that this HRP is currently funded at less than 50 per cent.

• In her statement to the Security Council on 30 October, Assistant Under-Secretary-General/Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator (ASG/DERC)
  Ursulla Mueller spoke of the steady decline in humanitarian funding for the Ukraine over the years and mentioned that the HRP for 2018 is funded at only 32 per cent. This is simply not enough to cover food, health care, water, sanitation and other life-saving assistance. ASG/DERC Mueller appealed to donors to increase their support for consolidating gains in anticipation of the fast-approaching winter.

• During a joint mission to Chad and Nigeria (5-7 October) with UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, as part of a series of country visits the two will make to advance humanitarian-development collaboration, the USG/ERC called on donors to fulfil pledges and announcements of over $2 million made in Berlin last month at the High Level Conference on the Lake Chad Region (3-4 September). He noted the importance of maintaining humanitarian response in the region as needs were still very high.

• Following her visit to the Republic of the Philippines from 9 to 11 October, ASG/DERC Mueller announced that OCHA would continue advocating for sustained funding to address humanitarian needs of people displaced by the Marawi conflict while ensuring that support for the transition to longerterm and sustainable recovery is forthcoming.

Upcoming Event

• The Global Humanitarian Overview 2019 and World Humanitarian Data and Trends will be launched in the course of joint event to take place in the Palais des Nations, Geneva, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on 4 December 2018.

Pooled Funds

• Between January and the end of October 2018, country-based pooled funds (CBPFs) have received a total of $708 million in contributions from 32 donors (including contributions through the UN Foundation). During the same period, a total of $616 million from the 18 operational funds was allocated towards 1,071 projects with 575 implementing partners. Nearly 40 per cent ($246 million) of the funds were allocated to international NGOs and some 26 per cent (approximately $160 million) to national NGOs. UN agencies received 32 per cent ($202 million) of the allocated funds and Red Cross/Red Crescent organizations received over 1 per cent (some $8 million) of all allocated funds. The largest allocations per sector went to health; food security; water, sanitation and hygiene; nutrition; emergency shelter and NFIs.

• Between 1 January and 31 October 2018, the Emergency Relief Coordinator approved $477 million in grants from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support life-saving activities in 45 countries. This includes $297.7 million from the Rapid Response Window and $179.7 million from the Underfunded Emergencies (UFE) Window. A total of $31.6 million in Rapid Response grants was approved in October in response to cholera outbreaks in Zimbabwe, Niger and Nigeria; flooding in Laos; and the population influx from Venezuela to Brazil, Ecuador and Peru; as well as to support Government relief efforts following the earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The UFE 2018 second round was completed this month, with $30.6 million approved in September and the remaining $49.4 million of the round’s $80 million released in October to assist people caught up in nine chronic emergencies in Angola, Bangladesh, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Libya,
  Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Sudan.

Country Updates

• Funding for humanitarian activities in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) is at an all-time low. Nearly all agencies requesting financial support through the HRP have received less funding in 2018 than in previous years. This leaves humanitarian partners ill-placed to meet emerging needs or respond to the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the rise in casualties during the recent demonstrations has stretched Gaza’s overburdened health system.
  Humanitarian agencies appealed in August for $43.8 million to respond to the Gaza crisis, particularly trauma management and emergency health care, in 2018. On 22 September, the Humanitarian Coordinator for the oPt launched an $8.3 million allocation from the oPt Humanitarian Fund to implement critical HRP projects, mainly in Gaza. Stocks of medical supplies are in extremely short supply and depleted to almost half of requirements. Since late October, the Gaza power plant has been providing up to eleven hours of electricity a day. However, around 250 health,
  WASH and essential solid waste facilities continue to rely on UN-procured emergency fuel for running back-up generators. This year’s intensive operations have depleted funds and stocks and the $1 million allocated by the oPt Humanitarian Fund for fuel supplies will only last until the end of November. Further and urgent financial support is therefore required.

• Conditions in Yemen continued to deteriorate in October, pushing the country to the brink of famine. On 23 October, the USG/ERC warned the Security Council that without urgent action, up to 14 million people – half the population – could face pre-famine conditions in the coming months.
  Assessments are currently under way, with initial results expected in mid-November. The economic crisis is raising the risk of famine. The Yemeni rial has depreciated by nearly 50 per cent over the last year. Commodity prices have soared, as Yemen imports 90 per cent of staple food and nearly all fuel and medicine.

Urgent steps are required to avert immediate catastrophe. First, a cessation of hostilities is needed; this is especially critical in populated areas.
Second, imports of food, fuel and other essentials must be able to enter Yemen without impediment. Roads must remain open so these goods can reach communities across the country. Third, the Yemeni economy must be supported, including by injecting foreign exchange, expediting credit for imports and paying salaries and pensions. Fourth, international funding must increase now to allow humanitarians to meet growing needs for assistance. Finally, all parties must engage with the UN Special Envoy to end the conflict. Yemen remains the largest humanitarian operation in the world, with more than 200 partners working through the Yemen HRP.

Launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview 2019 and the World Humanitarian Data and Trends 2018

At the end of November 2018, 21 Humanitarian Response Plans (HRP) and the Syria Regional Response Plan (3RP) require US$24.93 to assist 97.9 million people in urgent need of humanitarian support. The requirements are lower than announced at the end of October ($25.2 billion) as those for Ethiopia have now been reduced. The plans are funded at $14.29 billion; this amounts to 57.3 per cent of financial requirements for 2018. Two million fewer people are considered to be in need in Mali than at the end of October, hence the reduction in the overall number of people in need in this month’s overview.

Global requirements are $1.8 billion higher than at this time in 2017, and the amount of funding received is $1.69 billion higher than it was at this time last year.

On 4 December 2018, the USG/ERC launched the Global Humanitarian Overview 2019 and World Humanitarian Data and Trends 2018 at an event in the Council Chamber, United Nations Office at Geneva. The event was attended by almost 200 representatives of Member States, intergovernmental and international organizations, UN organizations and NGOs, and by the Red Cross movement, the World Economic Forum and specialized meteorological foundations. A recording of the event can be found here: Event in Geneva to launch the GHO 2019 and WHDT 2018.

Pooled Funds

In 2018, as of early December, country-based pooled funds (CBPF) received a total of $845 million, once again setting a new record in annual contributions. Generous support from 31 Member States, from one crown dependency and from the general public through the UN Foundation, continues to demonstrate a high level of confidence in this mechanism for reaching the people most affected by humanitarian emergencies. In the past year, CBPFs have allocated a total $695 million, with $81 million awaiting approval. The Yemen Humanitarian Fund (HF) remains the largest of the funds, with $187 million already allocated towards response to urgent humanitarian needs. The HFs in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, South Sudan and Turkey have each allocated over $50 million. Globally, three-fifths of all CBPF allocations were disbursed to NGOs, including 24 per cent ($170 million) directly to national and local NGOs. Another two-fifths were allocated to UN agencies, while Red Cross/Red Crescent organizations received 1 percent of funding ($8 million).

Between 1 January and 30 November 2018, the Emergency Relief Coordinator approved $488 million in grants from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), including $308 million from the Rapid Response Window and $180 million from the Underfunded Emergencies Window. The grants will support life-saving activities in 48 countries. In November, a total of $11 million was released to scale-up response to cholera in Nigeria and pneumonic plague in Madagascar, as well as to expand existing UN programmes in Venezuela in support of government efforts to increase essential health and nutrition services.

HIGHLIGHTS CONTENTS

- The FAO's latest assessment shows that 40 countries are facing food emergencies and require external assistance. Among them, the most pressing humanitarian problem remains the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. The already precarious food supply situation may worsen if deteriorating security disrupts the main harvest due to start in the coming few weeks.

- Prospects for the 2006 world cereal harvest have deteriorated further since July. Exceptionally hot and dry weather is adversely affecting the wheat crops in Australia, Argentina and Brazil, while drier-than-normal weather in parts of South Asia is also raising some concern for the second 2006 paddy crop.

- Latest information confirms a tighter world cereal balance in 2006/07. Compared to earlier expectations, global cereal output is seen to be smaller, and to meet the anticipated utilization in 2006/07, world closing stocks are forecast to be lower. As a result, international prices of most cereals have increased sharply so far this year.

- Low supplies call for a closer monitoring of world food situation. Despite good crops in many of the Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries, this year's anticipated sharp fall in global stocks may lead to a more precarious situation next season should weather problems prevent an increase in world cereal production in 2007.

- The early outlook for the northern hemisphere's main winter cereal crops for harvest in 2007 is generally favourable so far. Planting is reported to be proceeding well in Europe, and in the United States, where a large expansion in wheat area is expected.

(pdf* format - 822 KB)

At the end of December 2018, 21 Humanitarian Response Plans (HRP) and the Syria Regional Response Plan (3RP) required US$24.93 billion to assist 97.9 million people in urgent need of humanitarian support. The requirements remained unchanged as of the end of November 2018. The plans are funded at $14.58 billion which amounts to 58.5 per cent of financial requirements for 2018. Notably, the percentage of total funding contributed through humanitarian response plans carried out by the UN with partners in 2018 is estimated at 62.9%. This is higher than at any time in the last ten years except 2017 (66.2 per cent).

Global requirements finished the year $230 million higher than for December 2017, and the amount of funding reported against UN-coordinated appeals at the end of 2018 was $78 million higher than at this time last year.

To make information on vulnerable people’s needs, planned response, funding and funding gaps in humanitarian crises accessible to all in one place, on 4 December, OCHA announced the launch of a new web-based portal, Humanitarian Insight.

Pooled Funds

With $945 million received from 32 Member States, one crown dependency and the general public through the UN Foundation, 2018 became the fifth consecutive year of record-high contributions received for country-based pooled funds (CBPFs). The increased contributions to CBPFs are testament to donors’ trust in this funding mechanism as a tool for principled, transparent and inclusive humanitarian assistance. Globally, a total of $756 million was allocated during the calendar year to 1,334 projects implemented by 657 partners, with two-thirds of overall CBPF allocations disbursed to NGOs. Over 24 percent were directly allocated to local and national NGOs, amounting to some $183 million. Health, emergency shelter and non-food items, water, sanitation and hygiene, food security, nutrition and protection were the largest funded sectors during 2018. In 2018, the Yemen Humanitarian Fund became the largest CBPF ever, allocating $188 million to 53 partners implementing 112 projects. The country-based funds in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Turkey each allocated over $50 million.

Between 1 January and 31 December 2018, the Emergency Relief Coordinator approved the largest amount of funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in a single year with a total of $500 million. This includes $320 million from the Rapid Response Window and $180 million from the Underfunded Emergencies Window, for life-saving activities in 49 countries. In December, a total of $12.8 million was released to assist Congolese returnees and people expelled from Angola, to meet needs outstanding since the October earthquake in Haiti, and to support people affected by flooding in Nigeria.

Specific appeal information

On 17 December, the Palestinian Authority and the Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory launched the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for $350 million to address critical humanitarian needs of 1.4 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. A full 77 per cent of the requested funds target Gaza where the humanitarian crisis has been aggravated by a massive rise in Palestinian casualties due to demonstrations. Israel’s prolonged blockade, the internal Palestinian political divide and recurrent escalations of hostilities necessitate urgent humanitarian assistance for people assessed as being most in need of protection, food, health care, shelter, water and sanitation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

A three-month Operational Plan for Rapid Response to Internal Displacement issued on 31 December seeks $25.5 million to reach civilians displaced by inter-communal violence in Ethiopia. The plan focuses exclusively on addressing health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene, non-food items, protection and agriculture issues related to recent violence-induced displacements around Kamashi and Assoss (Benishangul Gumuz region) and East and West Wollega (Oromia region). Nearly 250,000 people have been displaced in these regions since September 2018. The plan has been developed to bridge the period between now and the official launch of the 2019 Humanitarian and Disaster Resilience Plan (HDRP). The needs and requirements for the Benishangul Gumuz-East/West Wollega response will be included in the HDRP.

On 13 December, Assistant-Secretary-General/Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator (ASG/DERC) Ursula Mueller delivered a statement to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, where more than 3,000 civilians have been killed and up to 9,000 injured since conflict began in 2014. The crisis affects over 30 per cent of elderly people in the country, the highest proportion of people in this category in the world. The 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan, which required $187 million, was only 32 per cent funded. Without adequate funds, food, healthcare, water and sanitation, and other life-saving assistance cannot be provided.

During a 14 December briefing the USG/ERC and the Special Envoy for Yemen urged the Security Council to act swiftly to ensure full implementation of the Stockholm Agreement to demilitarize ports in the country. The agreement requires mutual withdrawal of forces from Hodeida city and its ports and a governorate-wide ceasefire to allow desperately needed humanitarian assistance to flow. The USG/ERC encouraged all parties to continue to engage seriously in implementing the multiple agreements reached in Sweden. The Government of Yemen requires billions of dollars in external support for its 2019 budget, and in parallel this year’s humanitarian response plan for Yemen requests $4 billion, about half of it for emergency food assistance.

On 11 December at a meeting in New York on the gravity of the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic, OCHA reiterated that response to this crisis is a priority for the organization and announced that in 2019 a high-level meeting will be arranged to address the impact of underfunding on the level of humanitarian response in the Central African Republic.
In 2019 twelve countries will have multi-year HRPs. These are Afghanistan, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, DRC, Haiti, Niger, Nigeria, oPt, Somalia, Sudan and Ukraine.