CHF Advisory Board Meeting minutes, 17 February 2012 Agenda 14:00 14:10 Opening Remarks Mark Bowden RC/HC 14:10 14:30 FSNAU Assessment Results Grainne Moloney 14:30 15:00 Update on CHF status/prioritisation presentation Pierre Bry, OCHA FCU 15:00 16:00 Prioritisation discussion 16:00 16:30 AOB 16:30 16:40 Conclusions/Final remarks Mark Bowden Board members Name Sergio Innocente Mark Bowden Kiki Gbeho Hannan Sulieman Bruno Geddo Betina Gollander Hakan Falkell Hassan Khaire Philippe Royan Tanja Schümer Mohamed Mohamud Mathias Kruger Organization/Function FAO Humanitarian Coordinator OCHA UNICEF UNHCR Embassy of Denmark WFP NRC ECHO NGO Consortium KISIMA Sweden Invitees Name Grainne Moloney Organization/Function FSNAU 1. Opening Remarks In his opening remarks, the Humanitarian Coordinator informed on the key objective of the meeting being to deliberate on the first standard allocation for 2012 and agree on the priority needs, regions and clusters. A total of approx. $50m in funding and pledges is available for the CHF. This is short of the $60 million target for this allocation. The HC stated the need to make the $60m target and 1
requested urgent follow-up with donors who have unconfirmed pledges. He reminded that $50m only meets a small fraction of the CAP 2012 requirement of $1.5 billion. The overall target of pooled funds for 2012 is $120 million or 10% of CAP non-food requirements. This includes CHFs 2012 target of $90 million and CERF funding of $30 million. Therefore, the need for a strategic discussion with a coherent focus on the most urgent priorities, rather than spreading funding too thinly was stressed as was the need to prioritize and ensure that the board did not simply allocate resources equitably among the clusters. Board members agreed to this. 2. Update on CHF Status & Proposed Priorities An update on CAP requirements and funding per cluster, and cluster strategic inputs to the Advisory Board, including priority regions and funding requirements was given. An update was also provided on the funding situation of the CHF. Approximately $23 million is available. Firm pledges from DFID and Denmark will increase the fund to $50 million. Proposed priority populations presented were IDPs, populations in Humanitarian Emergency (HE) and acutely malnourished children and pregnant and lactating mothers. Priority regions of Bakool, Bay, Banadir, Middle Shabelle, Lower Shabelle, Middle Juba and Lower Juba were proposed for discussion. The presentation including figures on populations affected in priority regions under each category. 3. FSNAU Post-Deyr Assessment The Head of FSNAU gave an overview of the results from the post-deyr assessment. Good rainfall has led to above average crop production in most regions in Somalia. This together with humanitarian assistance lead to a reduction in food prices notably cereals in Southern Somalia. Terms of trade has improved. Similarly, a significant improvement in the average food consumption per household per day has been reported in all regions except for the Juba region. Urban poor and IDPs remain vulnerable. High malnutrition and death rates particularly in middle and lower shabelle is of concern. Projections indicate normal rainfall for the Gu season though there is still a risk of low to average rainfall leading to average crop production. Worst case scenario: Increased conflict and insecurity Next rainy season Gu - are well below average/ failed Uncontrolled cholera, malaria or measles outbreaks Remaining food access agencies suspended Large scale returns of refugees Implications: Increased displacement, trade restrictions, increased cereal prices, reduced planting/land preparation for Gu harvest, further reductions in purchasing power as cereal prices rise and labour opportunities dwindle, uncontrolled disease outbreaks leading to deterioration of nutrition and mortality outcomes Overall Significant increase in food insecurity from 2.51million, numbers of population in crisis, levels of malnutrition and mortality 2
Most likely scenario: Assumptions: Status quo for conflict and insecurity Next rainy season Gu - is average No change in current humanitarian interventions in food access (limited) No large scale returns of refugees Implications: Current cereal stocks and other sources of income likely to sustain most poor households but large numbers will have to adopt distress coping strategies to meet full food and non-food needs. Overall Population numbers in crisis will increase in Bay and Lower Shabelle bringing total numbers to 2.51million The considerations for CHF funding was presented as follows: Significant improvement in food security outcomes in southern Somalia as a result of the good harvest and significant humanitarian assistance famine outcomes no longer exist. In total 2.34 million people are in crisis nation wide - 31% of the population - of which 1.7 million are in the south. 325,000 children are acutely malnourished of which 70% are in southern regions southern regions therefore still very fragile Juba faces highest levels of food insecurity followed by Middle Shabelle, Hiran and Gedo and coastal population of central and northeastern. Bakool at increased risk of deterioration at net importer of cereals. Nutrition and mortality rates of greatest concern in Mogadishu and likely Afgoye In addition a further 1.4million are also acutely food insecure though stressed and are at risk of deterioration in the worst case scenario and likely to significantly benefit from resilience programmes Nutrition status very fragile with levels expected to remains >20% in southern regions through June could deteriorate with reduced access to health, WASH and nutrition programme and if a disease outbreak occurs First and longest transmission period for Cholera/ AWD expected in March to June will affect nutritional status given current restrictions in access to life saving services. Increased conflict will affect trade and will depend on degree of restrictions - regions most at risk of severe trade restrictions would be deficit regions of Bakool, Juba, parts of Middle Shabelle and Hiran therefore require regional cereal flows which will increase cereal prices affects urban and rural. 4. Key Priorities for 2012 First Standard Allocation After discussions, the Board members agreed on the following strategic humanitarian priorities: 1.The need to lower malnutrition, morbidity and mortality rates of populations recovering from severe drought and famine with an emergency life-saving response and activities for vulnerable populations. Priority regions where life-saving interventions will be carried out are Lower Juba, Middle Juba, Bakool and Middle Shabelle. Priority clusters selected are Nutrition, Health, WASH and Food Security (excluding food). 2. The need to respond to the plight of IDPs and returnees. In particular a) Improve living conditions of secondary displaced populations in Mogadishu b) respond to needs of newly displaced in Mogadishu and other priority areas c) develop coherent sustainable activities to cater for returnees to other parts of Somalia and d) mainstream protection and 3
encourage protection based programming in all programmes focusing on IDPs and returnees. Priority regions are Banadir, Lower Shabelle and Middle Shabelle (for current and newly displaced IDPs). Sustainable response to the needs of returnees in Bay region was emphasised. Priority clusters: Protection, Shelter and Public Health. Food Security mainly livelihood support and in particular cash interventions for returnees was also prioritized. 3. The need to prepare for the outbreak of cholera and respond to cholera prone areas Somalia wide. Health and WASH clusters should come up with a joint strategy on how to prepare for cholera outbreak in high risk densely populated areas countrywide. 4. The need to support common services, : A total of $2 million was allocated to common services in general including UNDSS and support to NGO Safety Program (NSP) and the NGO Consortium. UNDSS security aircraft for medical evacuations and conducting rapid security assessments aimed at opening access for humanitarian response. Approx. $960,000 was earmarked for UNDSS. The Board was informed that NSP was fully funded until November 2012; the Board concluded that NSP should get funded in a likely second standard allocation. The Board concluded the NGO Consortium, fulfil an important coordination and information sharing function, should get funded under this standard allocation. Under this category, board members also discussed funding to strengthen coordination in Mogadishu. It was agreed that $2 million allocation excludes funding to UNHAS pending confirmation from EU. Based on these priorities and in preparation for a final discussion the following points should be considered and where necessary action taken and feedback provided for the next meeting in approx. 10 days: Life-saving category: The Food Security, Nutrition, Health and WASH clusters should develop a joint strategy on how to improve malnutrition, mortality and morbidity rates in Jubas, Bakool and Middle Shabelle through complementary lifesaving interventions addressing nutrition and public health including sanitation needs. The Food Security cluster should focus on livelihoods support to populations in HE in Juba. The joint strategic response should focus on where impact and capacity of partners to implement can be guaranteed. It should also take into account available and pledged funds. IDPs and returnees category: The Shelter, Health and WASH clusters work together on complementary interventions in Banadir, Lower and Middle Shabelle that prepare for the possibility of increased displacement and response to the needs of the newly displaced (or secondary replacement), as well as action that improves living conditions in the existing settlements. The existing IDPs to be targeted are those displaced in 2011. The strategy should address the plight of returnees to Bay region with sustainable interventions. Responding to the needs of recently evicted IDPs should not be part of this strategy. The Food Security cluster should only focus on emergency livelihood sustainable solutions for returnees to Bay region. 4
The Protection cluster should focus on protection of IDPs and returnees and on interventions that can underpin other programming in IDP settlements in all the prioritised regions. In general, the joint strategy on IDPs and returnees should aim to a) improve the most urgent needs of those displaced in 2011 b) reduce mortality rates in the camps c) promote sustainable activities for returnees and c) mainstream protection and seek specific protection programmes for this response. Cholera preparedness: The Health and WASH cluster should produce a joint strategy on prevention of cholera outbreak in high risk and highly populated cholera prone areas. Priority areas were not selected. Common services/ Enabling programmes should support humanitarian action by providing technical support aimed at strengthening coordination of life saving clusters (Shelter, Health, Nutrition and WASH) in Mogadishu. In order to do so a further analysis by the life saving clusters on the constraints hindering them from being operational in the field especially in Mogadishu is needed. The analysis should include recommendations that could lead to an effective cluster coordination system in Mogadishu. Following this submission the Advisory Board to allocate resources for coordination. About $40m will be available for the standard allocation of the CHF and will be allocated as follows:- $2 million to Common Services and Enabling Programmes. Out of this $960,000 will be used to support UNDSS aircraft for medical evacuations (pending ECHO response) and to conduct rapid security assessments. The balance will be used to support the Somalia NGO Consortium and to improve coordination by strengthening the technical capacity of life saving clusters in Mogadishu. Upto $500,000 for prevention of cholera outbreak in key priority region in Somalia 50% ($18.75) of the balance of $37.5 million for life saving interventions Another 50% ($18.75) for IDPs and returnees. This amount could be further allocated as follows: - $2m to protection, $6m for pilot projects focusing on returnees and $10.75m for joint programmes aimed at reducing mortality. The Board members agreed that 20% of available funding, about $10m, will be kept in the Emergency Reserve. It is expected that the ER will be used to respond to the outbreak of AWD and recently evicted IDPs in Mogadishu and Puntland. The Board will meet again on Friday, 9 March 2012, from 2:00 to 3.30pm to review the joint strategies. The board would only agree on cluster funding envelopes after reviewing submissions. Funding envelopes could increase if the $60m target is met beforehand. Action points: 1. Food Security, Nutrition, Health and WASH to provide a Joint strategy papers on detailed cluster response to the prioritised category of life saving by 2 March 2012. It should include a breakdown of the allocation per region and per cluster. In preparing this strategy, the clusters should take into consideration carry over funds, pledges, capacity to access and deliver in the prioritised regions. 2. A joint strategy by Shelter, Health and WASH cluster on responding to emergency needs of new IDP, current IDPs displaced in 2011 and Returnees to be forwarded 5
to CHF Secretariat on 2 March 2012. The clusters should work towards mainstreaming protection into their joint programmes. 3. Health and WASH cluster to come up with a joint strategy on prevention of cholera outbreak in key densely populated high risk regions in Somalia. Strategy to be submitted to CHF secretariat on 2 March 2012. 4. Each of the life saving clusters of Shelter/NFI, WASH, Health and Nutrition to present a paper to the CHF Secretariat tentatively not later than 15 March 2012, analysing the factors hindering effective coordination in Mogadishu. The analysis should include recommendations for improvements. 5. Advisory board meeting to be held on Friday, 9 March 2012, from 2:00 to 3.30pm to review submissions and agree on final allocations AOB Donors who have made pledges are requested to urgently confirm them by 5 March to allow the CHF allocation reach its target of $60m. Closing remarks The HC thanked the participants and stressed that a conscious decision had been taken to use this allocation to respond to life-saving interventions as opposed to CAP 2012 key objective of building resilience. He stressed that the next allocation could potentially target programmes on building resilience. 6