| Overview : Despite the significant and persistent economic progress over the last decade or so, Ethiopia continues to be exposed to several kinds of hazards and disasters, which have got the strength to dilute economic and institutional gains over the same period or beyond. While drought and floods represent major challenges, some other hazards like crop pests and diseases, livestock diseases, landslides, earthquakes, and conflict also affect communities over a wide range of different agro-ecologic and socio-economic zones of the country. The predominantly agrarian and/or pastoral nature of the rural livelihoods of the country puts rural communities at heightened level of vulnerabilities to disasters leading to crisis of livelihoods, if not addressed through appropriate disaster risk management systems. Within the context of disaster risk management, over the last 3 decades, the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) has managed to design and implement large scale programmes focusing on disaster prevention and mitigation, household asset building, and environmental rehabilitation through public works. A track record of significant achievement has also been witnessed in terms of preparedness through the early warning system, the strategic grain reserve, and the development of standard guidelines for assessment and intervention. Moreover, recovery strategic framework is in place, which guides the community recovery from disasters and the protection of livelihoods. Ethiopia developed and has been implementing a Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy, which envisions a a middle income, democratic and developmental state and a carbon neutral climate resilient economy by 2025 Despite the tremendous efforts made by the regional authorities and the international community to put an end to it, the conflict between the South Sudan Government and the opposition erupted in since December 15, 2013 has continued to pose a number of social and economic crisis within south Sudan and the bordering areas in Ethiopia. Among the consequences, the huge influx of South Sudanese refugee to Ethiopia has been a great concern to the Ethiopian Government as well as humanitarian actors. The number of refugees is showing an increasing trend since the start of the conflict starting Currently a total number of refugees estimated to be 69,000 which is again increasing every day. Since the start of the arrival of the refugees, there have been lots of efforts to assess the magnitude of the problem and address the basic humanitarian needs of the refugees. Efforts have continued to properly manage the situation which includes the registration and camping of the refugees. Although tremendous efforts and achievements are observed in dealing with the problem, impact of the refugees on the food security and other humanitarian aspects on the host community is not yet properly investigated. With such high influx, this situation is creating additional burden and stress on the host communities through competing on natural resources, markets, social and other infrastructures. Reports from the areas in Ethiopia boarding South Sudan reveal that there are challenges in establishing refugee camps and accommodating all the refugees as they crossed the border. To this end, it was agreed to understand the situation better and asses the type and extent of the problem created on the host communities caused by this influx. Thus, it has been proposed for DRMFSS, ARRA, FEWS NET and WFP to make up a team, travel to the area, conduct a joint assessment and come up with findings and recommendation. UNDP, as an active partner to the GoE in terms of providing upstream policy support, institutional strengthening, financing, and capacity building, has been engaged in multi-year and multi-donor Disaster Risk Management and Livelihood Recovery Programme (DRR/LR) since 2010 in the most hazard prone regions of the country. The overall goal of this project is to enhance institutional capacities for disaster risk reduction and to ensure effective policy, program and planning from federal to community levels in the country. The role of UNDP remains to be a technical and financial support to the implementing partner, namely the Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Sector (DRMFSS) of The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED), and other partners. The project document is currently under revision to cover the period until 2016. UNDP, along with other participants, has also assumed active role in supporting the government in the process of Development of the DRM SPIF. As part of its culture of ongoing learning and knowledge building exercise, UNDP wants to conduct an assessment on the impact of massive refugees influx on host communities for identification of possible areas of interventions for sustainable development in Gambela Regional States. For detailed information, please refer to the TOR in Annex 1 |
