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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 002461 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PHUM PGOV EAGR ET
SUBJECT: UN'S JOHN HOLMES RAISES OGADEN FOOD DELIVERY CRISIS 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) The UN Emergency Response Coordinator and Under 
Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes 
briefed select representatives of the donor community 
September 3 on his discussions with the Ethiopian Government 
(GoE) on the "malnutrition crisis" in Ethiopia .  He noted 
that, while access to the Ogaden had improved since his last 
visit, the number of people in Ethiopia at risk had risen 
from 4.6 million, as announced by the Ethiopian Government on 
June 12, to 8.4 million as concluded by a later joint 
assessment.  Deputy Prime Minister Adissu confirmed that the 
numbers had risen but was skeptical of the higher number, 
mentioning a lower figure of 6.1 million.  Holmes noted that 
critical food needs will continue at least until June 2009 
when the rain fed agricultural production in Ethiopia could 
return to normal.  Holmes warned that the situation could 
still get worse and that more resources are still needed. 
The main food distribution problem in Ethiopia remains the 
Somali region, especially in the Ogaden, due to security 
concerns and lack of capacity.  While the Ethiopian 
leadership says that it supports a WFP/donor proposed "hub 
and spoke" approach to expedite food delivery, it has yet to 
be implemented.  Holmes also raised reported human rights 
abuses and the problems of internally displaced persons 
(IDPs) and Somali refugees in the Ogaden region.  Finally, 
Holmes stated that donors need to focus more on agricultural 
development and working together with the Ethiopian 
government on measures to cope with the cyclical droughts. 
Better donor coordination, to include non-traditional donor 
countries which deal with Ethiopia as well as a more robust 
coordination of donors led by the UN are important.  End 
Summary. 
 
Food Crisis 
----------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) UN Emergency Response Coordinator and Under 
Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes met 
with representatives of the donor community on September 3 to 
review his trip to Ethiopia's Southern Nations, 
Nationalities, and People's region (SNNPR) and Ogaden parts 
of the Somali region, and his discussions with Deputy Prime 
Minister (DPM) Adissu and review his upcoming meeting with 
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Tekeda.  The Prime 
Minister was not in Addis to meet with Holmes.  Holmes first 
emphasized that it was unusual for him to make two visits to 
a country in less than a year, but that he felt that the 
crisis in Ethiopia was not being taken seriously enough.  He 
noted that access to the Ogaden, both for the UN agencies and 
NGOs, had improved since his last visit.  Holmes noted that 
feeding centers in SNNPR  were functioning  well and that the 
people welcomed food rather than wages in the Productive 
Safety Net Program.  Food was so expensive, that food 
payments for work are preferred.  While rains are so far 
robust, it is still unclear if it will be sufficient to 
ensure another bumper crop from rain-fed agricultural 
production this year in Ethiopia.  Holmes told the donor 
community that food will continue to be needed until at least 
the end of 2008 when "normal" harvests could resume, pending 
good rains. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Holmes said based on as yet unapproved results of 
the belg harvest assessment, there are now at least 8.4 
million people at risk of severe malnutrition in Ethiopia, an 
increase from the 4.6 million announced by the government on 
June 12.  Recounting his discussion with the DPM, Holmes 
noted the Ethiopian government did not want to make public 
this issue.  Holmes urged them to do so in order to secure 
additional international food assistance and highlight the 
continuing food emergency in Ethiopia and the region.  Holmes 
made clear to the participants that the situation could still 
get worse and urged all representatives to make clear to 
their respective capitals the continued need for food, 
humanitarian assistance, and other resources. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Throughout the Somali region, and especially in the 
Ogaden, the lack of adequate rains for the past three years 
has made the situation bleak.  Local officials hoped for rain 
to at least provide grazing field for animals.  Donor 
representatives and Holmes agreed that food distribution was 
proceeding in all areas of Ethiopia except the Somali region. 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002461  002 OF 003 
 
 
 The U.S. Ambassador emphasized that only 30 percent of the 
food needed in the Somali region has been delivered and that 
it was difficult to confirm the distribution of most of this 
food allotment to intended beneficiaries.  Holmes noted he 
raised with DPM Adissu rumors of food being siphoned off by 
the Ethiopian military or by groups aligned to the government 
in the Ogaden.  The DPM adamantly denied these rumors. 
Holmes also raised allegations of human rights abuses by the 
Ethiopian military to which the DPM said such reports were 
exaggerated, misleading, or not true.  Holmes said he pressed 
Adissu on the "hub and spoke" food delivery approach for the 
Somali region as proposed by the U.S. and WFP which the 
Ethiopian Government agreed to support.  Adissu reaffirmed 
the GoE's support, but Holmes noted that it was still not 
being implemented.  (Note: The "hub and spoke" approach would 
allow for large trucks to carry food from the port of 
Djibouti to distribution points in the Ogaden and then allow 
smaller trucks to distribute the food. End note.)  Insurgency 
problems and details over control of storage and delivery, 
Adissu said, are constrains to approval and operations, but 
he assured Holmes that the Ethiopian leadership will 
implement this approach. 
 
Security Concerns 
----------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Holmes remarked to the group that Ethiopia is very 
much like other countries which are facing insurgency 
problems or areas of conflict.  Governments wish to control 
food deliveries in their efforts to manage conflict zones. 
The U.S. Ambassador raised U.S. efforts to persuade the 
Ethiopian leadership to open up the Ogaden and ease 
restrictions, from U.S. military officials discussing General 
Petraeus, manual on counterinsurgency measures to USAID's 
arguments and examples on the effectiveness of a very open 
and transparent food delivery system.  The U.S. Ambassador 
also raised Ethiopian concerns for cross border infiltration 
by extremist elements as well as an increase in violent 
insurgency operations by domestic rebel groups.  But the U.S. 
has been arguing to the Ethiopian government for a more 
transparent and open delivery process which will, in the end, 
prove more effective in getting food to the right 
beneficiaries and earn greater support from the local 
population. 
 
Solutions and Frustrations 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Holmes suggested that the UN organizations in Addis 
Ababa will take a more active approach in coordinating donor 
interaction and a common approach with the Ethiopian 
government.  The donor community must also interact more 
cooperatively and with a single message in discussions with 
the Ethiopian leadership.  The multi-donor PSNP group and new 
Humanitarian Subgroup of the Donor Assistance Group were 
noted as examples.  Donors must also maintain constant links 
with headquarters in their respective capitals, noting 
especially that the food crisis will continue until next 
year, and perhaps beyond, if the main rains prove inadequate. 
 To cope with the cyclical droughts in Ethiopia, donors must 
work with the Ethiopian government on agricultural 
development assistance.  Over 97 percent of food production 
is rain based and there is very little irrigation.  An 
emphasis on development assistance will help Ethiopia cope 
with, and survive, the periodic droughts.  The donor group 
also agreed that a stronger effort toward coordination, as 
well as including non-traditional donor nations which have 
close ties with Ethiopia, will be important in pushing the 
Ethiopian government into a more pro-active and cooperative 
partner in the food distribution to the Somali Region.  Such 
countries include Russia, China, Israel, and India.  The 
donors noted the importance of the continuation of current 
on-going efforts including the joint UN-US meeting with the 
Deputy Prime Minister and regular meetings called by the UN 
and also meetings with NGO partners arranged by the U.S. 
Embassy.  Finally, Prime Minister Meles, expected visit to 
New York for the UN General Assembly can be an important 
opportunity for the donors group to press the Ethiopian 
leadership on the food crisis in the Somali region and Ogaden 
and other problems. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The donor group noted that Holmes, visit, his 
second in less than a year, was highly useful and deeply 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002461  003 OF 003 
 
 
appreciated.  There is a need to have the senior-most 
officials from donor countries, as well, visit Addis to 
underscore the urgency of the food crisis and the need of the 
Ethiopian government to work closer with the donor community 
in meeting the urgent food and other needs.  Representatives 
from Ireland, the UK and Holland stressed "donor fatigue" in 
securing additional assistance for Ethiopia.  More important, 
they expressed deep frustration over the apparent lack of 
"urgency" by Ethiopian officials.  While Prime Minister Meles 
may understand the gravity of the problem, many officials 
have not moved, especially in establishing the "hub and 
spoke" food distribution or approving NGOs to work in the 
region.  USAID noted how damaging the slow humanitarian 
response was both in terms of lives as well as Ethiopia's 
image politically and economically.  Holmes noted that the 
people he met with in the field also expressed frustration 
over the slow distribution of food.  Somali region 
pastoralists told Holmes that the drought is the worst since 
1928, and with Somalia also in crisis they have nowhere to go 
to save their animals. 
 
Other Issues 
------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) Holmes said he also raised with the DPM the CSO/NGO 
law as being too restrictive on the international donor 
community which supports and helps Ethiopia.  On his trip to 
the Somali region, Holmes visited Lafaissa refugee/IDP camp 
outside Jijiga to highlight the problem of the internally 
displaced in the region and Ethiopia generally.  He noted 
that there is no system in place in Ethiopia to handle IDPs 
and suggested that a strategy needed to be developed to 
handle humanitarian and protection needs of these special 
groups. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Holmes cautioned that donor frustration over food 
deliveries to the Ogaden must be balanced between valid 
security concerns and sovereign issues with humanitarian 
concerns.  We plan to meet with the Deputy Prime Minister 
with the UN chief Fidele Sarassoro and the U.S. Ambassador 
plans to have a private meeting with the Prime Minister to 
follow-up on the Holmes visit and continue donor efforts to 
get the "hub and spoke" approach implemented and NGOs 
approved.  Further, the U.S. will press on assurances 
provided by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister last 
month of greater openness and ability by USAID and OFDA to 
monitor and coordinate food deliveries in the Ogaden and 
other regions.  Post strongly recommends that USG principals 
raise concerns about humanitarian relief access and 
facilitation of food distribution mechanisms with Prime 
Minister Meles in bilateral discussions on the margins of the 
UN General Assembly.  Holmes mentioned that UNSYG Ban would 
also raise these issues with Meles in New York.  End comment. 
YAMAMOTO