SEATTLE — The 2015-2016 El Niño caused Ethiopia’s worst drought in 50 years. The government and international donors quickly mobilized funding. As a result, the number of people needing aid was cut almost in half, from 10.2 million people in 2016 to only 5.6 million in 2017. Unfortunately, a new drought threatens the ongoing Ethiopian drought recovery.
It’s rare that good news comes on the heels of a climate disaster. Chris Hillbruner, a deputy chief for the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS), mentioned this fact in an interview with the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. “Ethiopia had the world’s largest food-insecure population last year,” he said, “primarily due to a severe drought-related to El Niño. Humanitarians mounted a large response, and rainfall in 2016 was very good, and now the number of people who need emergency assistance in Ethiopia has dropped by 50 to 60 percent.”
Ethiopian drought recovery is threatened by a new drought sweeping across large swaths of the country, threatening to undo the progress made since the last disaster. Water scarcity has been rising in Kenya, Somalia, Oromia and other nations. The World Health Organization, United Nations agencies and Ethiopia’s government urge the importance of preparation by shoring up vulnerable houses to prevent another disaster.
Droughts are accompanied by a number of other public health problems, including malnutrition, disease, water shortages and a lack of proper sanitation. In 2016, 10 of Ethiopia’s 11 regions became predisposed to acute water diarrhea from severe water and hygiene shortages. Other disease outbreaks included measles, scabies, meningitis and dengue fever.
A new drought puts a significant amount of Ethiopia’s population at risk. Some 80 percent depend on livestock and agriculture for their livelihoods. Arable land requires seasonal rainfall, and without it, a substantial amount of the population will lose their primary means of support. For Ethiopian drought recovery to be successful, it must support populations whose lives and livelihoods are dependent on livestock and the land.
The 2017 emergency response plan published by the World Health Organization calls for $10.9 million in Ethiopian drought recovery funds. This money will continue to provide support for El Niño-induced crises while preparing for the new drought arising in the southern and eastern parts of Ethiopia. The two major WHO projects focus on reducing illness and death associated with undernutrition and supporting and strengthening public health systems. The WHO and Ethiopia’s government, are asking for the same global partnerships and cooperation that enabled their disaster response in 2016 to have such a profound effect.
– Tammy Hineline
Photo: Flickr