Day: January 1, 2023

AMMAN, 13 December 2022- As part of a record global appeal, UNICEF is appealing for US$2.6 billion in emergency funding to deliver lifesaving assistance to over 52.7 million children in need in the Middle East and North Africa in 2023.

“With almost half of the countries in the region living in crisis or undergoing ripple effects of conflicts and wars, children remain the most affected and in massive need of assistance,” said Adele Khodr, UNICEF Regional Director in the Middle East and North Africa. “Year after year, a dire situation gets much worse with many families becoming poorer as they face the impacts of multiple crises,” she added.

The region is home to some of the world’s longest conflicts. Almost 12 years of war in Syria left more than 6.5 million children dependent on assistance. Yemen remains the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with almost every child in the country dependent on assistance. The compounded crisis in Lebanon, and the instability in Sudan resulted in millions of additional children living in critical conditions.

“If secured, these urgent funds will allow UNICEF to reach children impacted by conflict and humanitarian crises in a timely and relevant manner. UNICEF appreciates all donors who have been essential in making the response to children’s needs in the Middle East and North Africa possible. Timely, predictable and flexible funding are essential to contribute to the wellbeing and welfare of children in the region,” concluded Khodr.

Over the years, UNICEF has been strategic in its approach to responding to conflicts and crises in the region, focusing on not only providing immediate humanitarian assistance but also on strengthening systems, creating risk-informed programmes, and planning and preparing for emergencies.

UNICEF has been conscious of how crucial it is to include local communities and be accountable to the affected populations, collaborating with regional partners to empower young girls and boys and promote their engagement in humanitarian planning. Efforts were also focused on developing partnerships and mobilizing essential resources to ensure long-term progress and impact.

In 2022, UNICEF continued to respond to needs of children and their families across the region.

Key Highlights of UNICEF’s response in 2022 across the region:

Supported around 2.8 million children to get formal and non-formal education and provided 1.2 million children with individual learning materials.

Reached more than 338 thousand children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) with treatment.

Reached around 13.1 million people with critical water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies and access to safe water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene.

Reached around 1.4 million households with humanitarian cash assistance.

Bought and distributed around 4.9 million doses of routine vaccines against measles, tetanus, polio, diphtheria, hepatitis B and rotavirus.

Reached more than 780 thousand children and caregivers with mental health and psychosocial support services.

Notes to editors:

The Regional Humanitarian Action for Children Fast Facts can be found here

The Humanitarian Action for Children 2023 and separate appeals for countries can be found here.

The Humanitarian Action for Children appeal for 2023 includes Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, the State of Palestine, Sudan, Syria and the Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries, and Yemen. In addition to a regional appeal and technical support from the Regional Office in Amman to countries that don’t have a standalone HAC appeal. In total, the appeal constitutes to 25 per cent of UNICEF’s financial ask globally.

This appeal does not include the response to the Afghan refugee crisis in Iran, which is included in the regional appeal of our office in South Asia. Iran hosts nearly 3.6 million Afghans, including more than 1 million who have arrived since 2021. Children make up about 40 per cent of the new arrivals.

While Türkiye is not part of the MENA region, the appeal includes the Syrian refugees’ response in the country.

In December 2021, UNICEF appealed for US$ 2.3 billion to respond to children’s needs for 2022. The appeal was revised to a total of US$ 2.4 billion, of which, only half of the funds were received.

Source: UN Children’s Fund

This Weekly Bulletin focuses on public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African region. This week’s articles cover:

• Yellow fever in West, Central and East Africa

• Monkeypox in the WHO African Region

For each of these events, a brief description, followed by public health measures implemented and an interpretation of the situation is provided.

A table is provided at the end of the bulletin with information on all new and ongoing public health events currently being monitored in the region, as well as recent events that have been controlled and closed.

Source: World Health Organization

ADDIS ABABA— Ethiopia’s Tigray region, at war for the last two years, may finally be looking up to long-term peace after Eritrean forces, a key party to the war began packing to leave the battlefield.

The decision for Eritrea to leave Tigray was reached this week after a delegation of Ethiopian government officials for the first time toured Makelle, the capital of the region, since the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA).

CoHA was signed by the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), labeled as ‘combatants’ on the agreement. But Eritrea which had sided with the Ethiopian government in the war had not signed, something that had been a bone of contention on how to disarm the TPLF.

Eritrea’s withdrawal was not made official, but sources said that the troops had been seen crossing back into Eritrea through Sheraro, one of the towns the Eritreans frequently shelled at the height of the war.

But this move could not ease the handover of heavy weapons by the TPLF to the Ethiopian National Defence Forces, part of the provisions under CoHA. The discussions on how that will be conducted were cemented at a meeting between Ethiopian officials and TPLF leaders.

Since last week, as parties ironed out disarmament arrangements, crucial services resumed. Frehiwot Tamiru, the CEO of the state-owned, Ethio Telecom, said a phone call was made Wednesday after more than a year of communication blackout.

“The restart of telecommunication services in (Mekele) has enabled 61 bank branches to re-enter into service,” the state-owned Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation quoted Tamiru.

Tamiru said the firm has managed to rehabilitate 981 km of fiber lines, resulting in 27 cities and towns across the region receiving telecommunication services again.

A high-level Ethiopian government delegation led by Parliament Speaker Tagesse Chaffo on last Monday arrived in Mekelle in what TPLF leaders said was a milestone visit in the peace agreement to end the two-year war in the Horn of Africa’s nation.

After arriving in Mekelle, the government delegation of more than 50 representatives and Tigray leaders held discussions on a range of pressing issues related to humanitarian aid, basic services, commerce, and the withdrawal of Eritrea and Amhara forces.

TPLF officials have been accusing the Eritrean government of trying to obstruct the peace process and urged the Abiy government to comply with the terms of the peace accord with regard to withdrawing the foreign and non-federal forces.

“Fruitful discussions were held and important understanding has been reached,” said Getachew Reda, advisor to the President of Tigray, who also signed the peace agreement with the Ethiopian government on behalf of the TPLF in November.

“The government’s gesture to restore the long overdue restoration of services is commendable. That none of the government delegation members bothered to bring close protection guards is a testament to their confidence in Tigray’s commitment to the peace agreement,” Getachew said.

Tigray on its part has welcomed and treated its guests with a sense of respect and responsibility, he added.

Diplomats and heads of public enterprises including from Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Airlines, and Ethio telecom were also among the delegation.

The meeting of Ethiopian and TPLF representatives prepared the ground for the significant trip by African Union officials.

On Thursday, the AU launched the Monitoring and Verification Mission (AU-MVCM) in Makelle facilitated by the AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo and AU High-Level Panel Members former President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta and Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa.

AU-MVCM is provided in Article 11 of CoHA and includes Ethiopian government officials, TPLF representatives, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and is chaired by the African Union through the High-Level Panel.

“The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat commends the Parties and the AU High-Level Panel for this significant step in the implementation of the CoHA and encourages them to continue with their efforts to restore peace, security, and stability in Ethiopia,” said a statement from the African Union.

The trip became the first high-level AU visit to Makelle since the war.

Source: Nam News Network