HIGHLIGHTS

Eritrea and Ethiopia. The ending of hostilities between Eritrea and Ethiopia has seen the return of many displaced and refugee populations. The widespread acute food insecurity of last year has largely improved and reductions in malnutrition rates have been observed, but many urgent needs remain. As a result many people remain largely dependent on continued food assistance and will remain so for a long time to come.

Somalia. The situation in Somalia remains extremely precarious but in general, improved security and relatively good rains in some regions have resulted in an improved situation. The situation in the northern regions is less optimistic as a result of the Gulf States livestock importation ban which has removed a central source of income from many of the pastoralists in the region and raises considerable concerns for their food security.

Sudan. Hostilities between the Government of Sudan and the rebel movements in the south have continued to displace large amounts of people from their lands and modes of living. Insecurity and drought conditions have particularly affected the states of Darfur, Kordofan, Eastern Equatoria and northern Bahr El Ghazal where large scale distress migration has been reported. There are also wide spread reports of drought induced crop failures in many areas and the overall outlook is poor for the immediate future.

Guinea. Guinea has seen the outbreak of violence along its borders with Sierra Leone and Liberia in a region called the Parrot's beak. The violence has prevented humanitarian access to the large amount of Sierra Leonean and Liberian refugees in the area and has caused many to return to return to their country of origin. The flight of refugees has also been increased by hostility to refugees within Guinea as blame for the violence has been attributed to them. The events have important ramifications for the future stability of the region.

Great Lakes Region. There has been heavy fighting in Burundi around Bujumbura and reports of a rapidly deteriorating nutritional situation in the north. The situation in DRC remains severe. As accessibility increases in Eastern DRC populations in extremely poor conditions are being discovered and it is estimated that 2.5 million excess deaths have occurred since the outbreak of hostilities. Funding shortages have resulted in the continuation of ration cuts, particularly in Tanzania, which will affect vulnerable groups.

Angola. Conflict has continued in many areas, accompanied by large scale population displacement. The continued insecurity has forced many from their land, and the situation has been further exacerbated by drought and floods in the south of the country. In general the nutrition situation seems improved although pockets of high rates of malnutrition remain. There have also been considerable funding shortfalls that have seen a reduction in the number of beneficiaries.

Afghanistan. The previous year has seen a very dramatic decline in the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. The drought has continued with harvests in some areas failing for the third consecutive year and there has large scale distress migration of population both internally and externally to countries such as Pakistan. The situation in the northern region of Afghanistan is critical as a result of acute food insecurity with reports of micronutrient deficiencies. With the drought extending to neighbouring countries the outlook is not good and urgent action is required.

Table 1
Risk Factors Affecting Nutrition in Selected Situation

Situations in the table below are classed into five categories (row 1) relating to prevalence and or risk of malnutrition (I - very high risk/prevalence, II - high risk/prevalence, III - moderate risk/prevalence, IV - not at elevated risk/prevalence, V-unknown risk/prvealence. for further explanation see inside of the back page). The prevalence/risk is indirectly affected by both the underlying causes of malnutrition, relating to food, health and care (rows 2-4, and also Figure 1 at back of report) and the constraints limiting humanitarian response (rows 5 -8). These categories are summations of the causes of malnutrition and the humanitarian response, but should not be used in isolation to prescribe the necessary response.

Factor		IDPs in Mogadishu, Somalia	Refugees in the Parott's Beak, Guinea	IDPs in Faryab Province, Afghanistan	IDPs in Malange Prov. Angola	IDPs in Maluku Privince, Indonesia	War displaced in North and South Kivu, DRC	IDPs in Karusi Province, Burundi	IDPs in and around Freetown, Sierra Leone
1. Nutritional risk category		III	II	I	III	IV	II	II	II
2. Public Health Environment (water, shelter, overcrowding, access to health services)		X	X	X	X	O	X	X	X
3. Social & Care Environment (Social organisations and networks, Women's role, status and rights)		X	?X	X	?X		X	X	X
4. Food Security		O	O	X	O		X	X	O
5. Accesibilty to population		O	X	X	O		X	O	O
6. General resources
	-food (gen stocks)	O	O	X	?X	?	?X	X	O
	- non-food	?O	?X	?X	?X	?	?X	?X	O
7. Personnel*		X	X	O			X	X	X
8. Information		X	O	X	O		O	O

Adequate O Mixed X Problem
? Don't know, but probably adequate ?X Don't know, but probably inadequate

* This refers to both adequate presence and training of NGOs and local staff where security allows