Ethiopia - October 2018 Situation Report

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Overall humanitarian needs: According to the revised Humanitarian and Disaster Resilience Plan (HDRP), at least 17 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Of these, 7.9 million people require support either in the form of food or cash assistance.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): Ethnic violence has displaced an estimated 140,000 people from the country’s western region of Benishangul-Gumuz region into East and West Wollega zones of Oromia region. According to the emergency response plan, food, shelter and household items as well as health are the most critical.

El Niño forecasted from end of 2018: The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has issued an alert warning of a 70% chance of El Niño phenomenon from November and this will persist into early 2019. UNOCHA is monitoring early warning information and keeping partners informed.

Favourable rains in southern Ethiopia: According to WMO, El Niño-like events will likely have a positive impact on the October-December 2018 short rains over southern Ethiopia, which is generally considered to be dry. This is being attributed to the above-normal precipitation likely in parts of southeast equatorial of Africa.

Focus shifts to returnees:With displaced families beginning to return to their homes in Gedeo and West Guji, southern Ethiopia, the focus is now shifting to assisting those returning, after months of conflict, to rebuild their lives and lost livelihoods.