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Consultative Forum Discussed on the Current Drought Situation |
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In a consultative forum organized by CRDA for member NGOs implementing projects in drought affected areas
with donors, and partners discussed the current situation of drought in Borena, Guji, Somale and other
parts of Ethiopia, exchanged ideas on the way forward and pointed out strategies of the civil society to
responded to the emerge needs.
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Opening the consultative forum organized on April 10,2008 at CRDA Hall, Ato Leulseged Asfaw,
representative of the Acting Director said, the Ethiopian weather condition during November 2007 to
February 2008 have faced extreme cold and dry wind with warm weather which prolonged the dry period. As
a result, the Belg rain, which plays a critical role in land preparation and sawing of long maturing
varieties of legumes, rejuvenations of perennial crops, animal fodders, and enhancement of river lows is
affected seriously. He said, the purpose of this meeting is to exchange information on latest
developments and devise common strategies of reaction.
Ato Regassa Aboma, Head, Membership Networking and Development Department also noted, the very essence of
the meeting is to clear out inconsistent information by the exchange of recent news on the matter and
devise a coordinated strategy to complement the efforts of the government and the civil society which is
already underway in the drought affected areas.
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Ato Amare Babu, Representative of the National Meteorically Agency said, in most parts of the South East,
Eastern and some place in SNNP, Tigray as well as Amhara Regions, the weather condition was
characterized by little to no rain in the past 80 days. Especially the Borana, Guji, Somale areas, which
had already been under serious shortage of rainfall during the previous season, the situation has
aggravated the impact of dry season on agriculture and pastoralism.
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Ato Getachew Abate, Representative of CARE-Ethiopia, said his organization is currently engaged in active
humanitarian response in the aforementioned areas as well as some pocket areas in North Shewa, East and
West Hararghe, North East of Tigray and some other places. Due to the uncertainty in the situation of
rain many humanitarian organizations tend to be lineant or misconceived the situation. As a result,
deaths of cattle, migration of people and signs of malnutrition are reported from various corners.
Currently, a seven day consecutive rain was witnessed in Borana, but quitted afterward. The situation, by
and large remains the same in most of the South East and Eastern part of the country.
Mr. Vincent K. Lelei, Head of Office and Deputy to the Humanitarian Coordination of the United Nation
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA-UN), along with his four colleagues also gave a
comprehensive update on the situation of the drought.
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According to them a weekly updates on the OCHA website have been regularly informing the concerned bodies
to help their action. OCHA has also been closely working with the government bodies, other implementing
agencies by extending financial support and availing information. For the way forward also OCHA expressed
its willingness to collaboratively address the drought situation through humanitarian food aid, fetch
water, loath antirational intervention.
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The forum discussed on the importance of establishing an NGO forum to regularly update the group and
coordinate efforts to complement government initiative and postponed the decision for a while.
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