O 081151Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5005
INFO AMEMBASSY ASMARA 
AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
USEU BRUSSELS
USMISSION GENEVA 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY ROME 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
DIA WASHDC
CJTF HOA
NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 001317 
 
 
STATE DEPARTMENT AF/E, AF/PDPA, OES, AND PRM/AFR 
USAID for AFR EGAST, CTHOMPSON 
DCHA/AA SCROMER 
DCHA/OFDA PMORRIS, KCHANNELL 
DCHA/FFP JDWORKEN, PMOHAN 
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD 
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, RTILSWORTH, AND LPANASUK 
NAIROBI FOR OFDA/ECARO JMYER, GPLATT, RFFPO NCOX 
USMISSION UN ROME FOR RNEWBERG 
NEW YORK FOR DMERCADO 
USEU FOR PBROWN 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH, RMA 
NSC FOR CPRATT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PHUM SENV EAGR PGOV ET
SUBJECT: SOMALI REGION UPDATE: HUMANITARIAN 
COORDINATION AND ACCESS ISSUES 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  USAID officials attended the Regional 
Humanitarian Coordination meeting on May 25 in 
Jijiga town (Jijiga Zone, Somali Region).  Points of 
discussion were the poor performance of the main 
April to June rains, the soon-to-be released 
nutrition survey for five districts of the Somali 
Region, recommendations for improved non- 
governmental organization (NGO) performance based on 
the findings of a Disaster Prevention and 
Preparedness Bureau (DPPB) quick assessment, and the 
start in late June of a multi-agency assessment to 
determine the food needs of the region for the next 
six months. 
 
¶2.  On May 24, the Acting President of the Somali 
National Regional State (SNRS) released draft 
guidelines for NGOs to obtain a blanket six-month 
clearance in their areas of operation.  While USAID 
officials welcomed the procedures, questions arose 
as to the capacity of the relevant SNRS offices to 
implement their responsibilities in the process 
within the stated two-week timeline.  End summary. 
 
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Background 
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¶3.  In an effort to alleviate long-standing 
humanitarian assistance bottlenecks in the Somali 
Region, the U.S. Ambassador, former USAID Director, 
UN Humanitarian Coordinator, and USAID Senior Policy 
Advisor met with the newly appointed SNRS President 
and his senior staff on March 5, 2009 to encourage 
better access for all humanitarian actors based on 
transparent procedures and improved coordination and 
dialogue with NGOs.  This resulted in the formation 
of a monthly "Humanitarian Forum" by the Regional 
President which met in Jijiga on April 3 and May 25. 
A smaller sub-group was formed with USAID, NGO and 
UN representative to negotiate formal, clear and 
transparent procedures for humanitarian access which 
culminated in the presentation on May 24 of the 
draft procedures now under discussion. 
 
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Jijiga Humanitarian Coordination Meeting 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  USAID officials, including the Acting Mission 
Director, the Senior Policy Advisor and the 
USAID/Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance 
(OFDA) Senior Program Officer attended the monthly 
Humanitarian Coordination meeting in Jijiga (Jijiga 
Zone, Somali Region) on May 25.  The meeting, 
coordinated by UN OCHA, was chaired by the Acting 
Regional President of the SNRS.  Participants also 
included the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, 
representatives from international and local NGOs, 
UN agencies, and SNRS officers including the new 
SNRS Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) and the head of 
the DPPB.  USAID officials noted that participation 
in this forum has increased dramatically not only in 
the number of participants but also the level of GoE 
representation, and has become a much improved forum 
for active and constructive dialogue between the 
humanitarian community and SNRS officials. 
 
--- Rainfall Pattern and Seasonal Assessment -- 
 
¶5.  The SNRS HC reported that the primary seasonal 
rains from April to June have thus far been sporadic 
and insufficient.  While the rains started on time 
they ceased early in most parts of the Somali 
Region.  The SNRS HC noted that even if the rains 
fell within the next two weeks, they would be too 
late for planting in the agro-pastoral areas, 
although beneficial for pasture generation.  The 
SNRS HC stated that a seasonal multi-agency 
assessment will take place in late June to determine 
the food needs for the next six months.  The SNRS HC 
emphasized the critical role played by the World 
Food Program (WFP) especially considering the 
challenges faced by the world food price crisis. 
 
-- Nutrition Survey -- 
 
¶6.  A multi-agency nutrition survey covering five 
districts in the Somali Region was recently 
concluded and the results will be released shortly 
pending review from the Federal Ministry of Health, 
according to the Acting Regional President who 
stated that the next step would require the 
humanitarian community to "be prepared and work 
together" to respond to assessed needs. 
 
¶7.  USAID/Ethiopia has received unofficial reports 
from survey participants stating that global acute 
malnutrition (GAM) rates in some districts are at 
the emergency threshold level of 15 percent and 
higher than 20 percent in some cases.  These 
percentages are especially worrisome since the 
assessment was conducted at a time when malnutrition 
rates should be at their lowest and considering that 
most of the Somali Region now enters the long dry 
season when malnutrition rates traditionally spike 
upwards. 
 
-- DPPB Assessment of NGO Performance -- 
 
¶8.  The head of the DPPB reported results from a 
rapid assessment of NGO performance in parts of the 
Somali Region pointing out areas where improvement 
is needed.  While acknowledging that some NGOs 
provide a great service to the region, he noted that 
many did not coordinate fully with the appropriate 
line bureaus; engaged in too much "soft" (training) 
instead of "hard" (boreholes, for example) 
interventions; and that some activities were not 
adequately coordinated with his office resulting in 
interventions that did not reflect the priorities of 
the SNRS.  In addition, the DPPB head reported that 
NGOs were not sufficiently engaged in critical 
interventions such as de-stocking and fodder 
provision, and that some NGOs request project 
extensions from the donors without consulting the 
SNRS. 
 
¶9.  Participants, including the UNICEF 
Representative, noted that such assessments would 
carry more "weight" and be more effective if they 
were sector-based and encompassed a multi-agency 
approach utilizing staff from the various UN 
clusters and NGOs. 
 
-- The Need for Capacity Building -- 
 
¶10.  The Acting Regional President and the SNRS HC 
repeatedly stressed the need for capacity building 
support to the DPPB and office of the SNRS HC in 
order to monitor and evaluate NGO performance more 
effectively.  This includes both human resource and 
logistical support.  USAID/Ethiopia is investigating 
various options and believes that increased 
monitoring and evaluation will help alleviate 
suspicions of NGO activities and therefore lead to 
greater access and flexibility of operations.  USAID 
is providing support for strategic planning at the 
regional level through its partner the International 
City Managers' Association (ICMA) 
 
-- Health -- 
 
¶11.  The Acting Regional President stated that while 
the number of measles cases reported was "not 
alarming" potential measles outbreak remains a 
concern noting that children are especially 
vulnerable in time of food insecurity. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Guidelines for Blanket Operational Clearance 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  On May 24, the Acting Regional President 
presented draft procedures for NGOs to follow to 
obtain blanket six-month travel clearances in their 
areas of operation within the five conflict zones of 
the Somali Region.  Participants included key NGOs, 
heads of UN agencies and donors, including USAID 
officials.  The draft procedures require NGOs to 
submit their proposed activities and staff details 
to the SNRS HC, DPPB and appropriate line bureaus 
for decisions on the appropriateness of the 
interventions and whether they accurately reflect 
the priorities of the SNRS.  The Acting Regional 
President stated that the procedures have been fully 
vetted and approved by the Ethiopian National 
Defense Force (ENDF) and the Regional Head of 
Security. 
 
¶13.  While USAID/Ethiopia welcomes this positive 
step towards increased transparency and clarity in 
the clearance process, several concerns remain 
including whether the process culminating in blanket 
clearance approval can be completed within the 
stated two-week timeline and whether the final 
clearance letter signed by the Office of the 
Regional President will "carry weight" with the 
military and local officials at the zonal and woreda 
level.  A second draft is currently under review by 
a small NGO and UN task force. 
 
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Conclusion 
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¶14.  The initial intervention of the U.S. Ambassador 
and former USAID Director has been critical in the 
establishment of the monthly humanitarian meeting 
leading to more fruitful dialogue and coordination 
between SNRS officials and the humanitarian 
community.  USAID/Ethiopia, including USAID/OFDA, 
will continue to attend these meetings and monitor 
the humanitarian situation with special emphasis on 
the food security situation and required 
interventions. 
 
¶15.  USAID/Ethiopia, including USAID/OFDA, supports 
the request for capacity building of the DPPB and 
the office of the SNRS HC to improve monitoring and 
evaluation in order to lessen SNRS suspicion of NGOs 
and thereby increase flexibility and timeliness of 
NGO interventions. 
 
¶16.  USAID/Ethiopia welcomes the issuance of the 
draft access clearance guidelines but will monitor 
the stated two-week timeline for approval of the 
blanket clearance requests noting that humanitarian 
assistance will be increasingly needed as 
malnutrition rates rise throughout the dry season. 
 
YAMAMOTO