SPECIAL HUMANITARIAN ENVOY BEGINS FIVE-NATION MISSION TO DROUGHT-AFFECTED COUNTRIES IN HORN OF AFRICA

SPECIAL HUMANITARIAN ENVOY BEGINS FIVE-NATION MISSION

TO DROUGHT-AFFECTED COUNTRIES IN HORN OF AFRICA

NEW YORK, 25 April (OCHA) -- In his new role as the United Nations Special Humanitarian Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Kjell Magne Bondevik arrives in Eritrea tonight for the beginning of his first regional mission (25 April-2 May), which also includes Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed the former Prime Minister of Norway as his new Special Humanitarian Envoy in February 2006, in response to the recurrent drought and food insecurity that is threatening the lives of 11 million people and devastating the region.

Recent rains in some of the critically affected areas have mitigated the impact of drought in some areas, but they have also resulted in flooding, the loss of already weakened livestock, affected access and heightened the risk of water-borne diseases, further deepening the humanitarian crisis.

Even if substantial rains are received through May, given the magnitude of livestock losses sustained during this crisis, full recovery will be a long process that will take years or even decades.

During his mission, the Special Envoy will meet with Heads of State and senior government officials to discuss strategies for strengthening partnerships with the international community to ensure assistance is as effective, timely and efficient as possible, while also looking at long-term approaches that will reduce the region’s vulnerability to drought.

Mr. Bondevik will also see first-hand the effects of consecutive years of drought and the loss of livelihoods in the region, when he travels to some of the worst affected pastoral and agro-pastoral areas in Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia.

In Djibouti, he will visit a local hospital where severely malnourished children are being treated, while in Ethiopia he will meet pastoralist elders to discuss how their way of life can be sustained in such a challenging environment.  In Somalia, he will have the opportunity to see how the local authorities, the United Nations and non-governmental organizations are responding to the crisis.

Earlier this year following a two-day visit to Kenya in his first role as the Special Humanitarian Envoy, Mr. Bondevik highlighted the need to ensure integrated long-term strategic approaches with the current crisis response, aimed at breaking the cycle of vulnerability and food insecurity.

The United Nations also launched a regional appeal for the Horn of Africa earlier this month, requesting $426 million to support the urgent needs of more than 8 million people.

For further information, contact:

Name	Telephone Number
Kirsten Mildren, OCHA-Ethiopia (will accompany Mr. Bondevik to each location)	+251 11 544 4162, +251 91 164 1031 (mobile) +88 216 4333 9018 (sat phone)
Damien Gugliermina, OCHA-Eritrea	+291 1 151666, +291 715 0907 (mobile)
Sihem Kefi, UNDP-Djibouti	+253 320 991, +253 878 433 (mobile)
Amanda Di Lorenzo, OCHA-Somalia	+254 20 375 4150, +254 734 21 0102  (mobile) +88 216 5112 4142 (sat phone)
Luluwa Ali, OCHA-Nairobi	+254 20 762 1004, +254 733 73 0535 (mobile)
Stephanie Bunker, OCHA- New York	+1 917 367 5126, +1 917 892 1679 (mobile)
Kristen Knutson, OCHA- New York	+1 917 367 9262
Elizabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva	+41 22 917 2653, +41 79 473 4570 (mobile)

* *** *

For information media • not an official record