Operational Updates

• Overview: In April 2019, WFP supported 1.3 million people in Uganda. WFP’s operations mainly focused on refugee support, with 1.1 million refugees receiving food and nutrition assistance. In Karamoja, WFP provided school meals to 118,000 school going children and implemented nutrition activities for 67,000 children aged 6-59 months and pregnant and nursing mothers. WFP also supported 26,000 smallholder farmers to access markets and participate in trainings.

• Looming drought: Below-average rainfall in northern and eastern Uganda in March and most of April have raised concern about the impact that the dry conditions may have on water availability, agricultural production, food security and nutrition. WFP is monitoring the evolution of the agricultural season closely - in partnership with the Government, FAO and UNICEF - and is on stand-by to support the Government’s response if a poor agricultural season materializes.

• Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW): The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MoGLSD) in collaboration with WFP conducted a mission in districts where labour intensive public works programmes are implemented in Karamoja and Northern Uganda. During the mission, WFP strengthened the capacity of national labour intensive public works committee members on social protection and resilience.

• Government-led home-grown school feeding programme (HGSF): WFP hosted a delegation of three State Ministers (Primary Education, Agriculture and Karamoja affairs) to show-case the impact of WFP school feeding programme in Karamoja. WFP advocated for an increased national leadership and for policy support towards the HGSF approach. HGSF is a school feeding approach where children are provided with food produced and purchased from local farmers.

• Ebola preparedness actions: As escalation of the Ebola outbreak continued in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), WFP continued its preparedness actions in Uganda. WFP officially handed over five ambulances to the Ministry of Health. WFP will support the fueling, servicing, and insurance of the ambulances as well as the per diem of the Red Cross drivers for the next three months. WFP also handed over Mpondwe border screening unit to Kasese District leadership. In addition, WFP erected four screening units and four tents at priority locations along the border.

• Outbreak of sickness among people in two districts in Karamoja: According to health centres records, three people died and 293 were admitted to health centres in Karamoja in March and April after eating Super Cereal, a fortified blended food distributed by WFP. The product is used by WFP and partners to prevent and treat malnutrition among pregnant and nursing mothers. Preliminary investigations have failed to conclusively find what caused the illness. To date, more than 2,400 food-related laboratory tests were conducted - including for mycotoxins, heavy metals, pesticides and microbial contaminants - but the root cause of the problem has not yet been established. As a precautionary measure, WFP has temporarily halted distribution of Super Cereal worldwide from one of its suppliers as tests continue to establish whether it is linked to the outbreak of illness in Karamoja. Communications campaigns continue to urge any people in Karamoja with remaining stocks to return them.

Il s’est tenu du 16 au 17 avril 2019, à l’hôtel Radisson Blu à Nairobi au Kénya, la réunion des points focaux gouvernementaux et experts des Etats membres de la CIRGL en matière d’éradication de l’apatridie dans la Région des Grands Lacs.

La première journée a été marquée, outre les allocutions d’usage, par :

1- L’exposé sur les objectifs et résultats attendus du Segment de haut niveau sur l’apatridie qui aura lieu à Genève le 7 octobre 2019 ainsi que l’importance des engagements des Etats membres de la CIGRL pour rester à l’avant-garde de la lutte contre l’apatridie.

2- La communication sur la définition de l’apatridie, ses causes et conséquences. A cet effet, l’apatridie est reconnue à la fois comme un problème humanitaire, de droits de l’homme, de développement, d’intégration régionale, de paix et de sécurité dans la région.

3- Les communications des points focaux apatridie des 12 Etats membres qui ont porté sur les résultats, les défis, les priorités pour l’année 2019, avec des indications précises sur les engagements que leurs Etat entendent présenter au Segment de haut niveau d’octobre.

A cet égard :

• la Zambie et l’Uganda, déjà partie à la Convention de 1954, s’engagent à adhérer à la convention de 1961 ;

• la Tanzanie, la République du Congo, la République démocratique du Congo, la République centrafricaine, le Burundi, le Soudan du Sud, le Soudan et l’Angola ont fait des avancées significatives pour devenir partie aux deux conventions sur l’apatridie et à harmoniser leur législation avec celles-ci ;

• la République centrafricaine, le Soudan, le Soudan du Sud, la République du Congo, la République d’Angola, la Tanzanie et l’Ouganda ont informé les participants des engagements à fournir en vue de faciliter l’enregistrement des naissances et la délivrance des actes de naissance à toute personne née sur leur territoire ;

• Il a été noté l’engagement de certains pays dont le Congo-Brazzaville et la RCA à mener des études nationales sur l’apatridie pour identifier les profils à risque et obtenir des données plus précises ;

• le Burundi et le Soudan se sont engagés à éliminer la discrimination basée sur le genre dans leur législation nationale relative à la nationalité afin que la femme et l’homme aient des droits égaux pour transmettre la nationalité à leurs enfants.

• le Soudan, le Soudan du Sud, la Tanzanie et l’Ouganda se sont également engagés à insérer des clauses dans leurs lois respectives pour prévenir l’apatridie chez les enfants et faire en sorte qu’aucun enfant ne naisse apatride ;

• le tout, soutenu par le ferme engagement du Kenya à lutter effectivement contre l’apatridie ;

4- les participants ont suivi avec intérêt, les témoignages des apatrides, membres des communautés Shona et Makomdé du Kenya ;

5- Enfin, les participants ont été informés du soutien des représentants de la société civile dans la région des Grands Lacs qui ont formé un consortium sur les questions de citoyenneté et de nationalité. Ce consortium qui appuie les communautés apatrides à se mobiliser et à obtenir l’aide juridique nécessaire a également présenté un rapport parallèle avec des recommandations et des plans ainsi que des témoignages de vulgarisation.

In Numbers

653 mt of food assistance commodities distributed

US$ 973,100 cash-based transfers completed

US$ 5.4 m six months (May- October 2019) net funding requirements, representing 62 percent of total requirements

230,200 people assisted in April 2019

Operational Updates

• WFP provided food and nutrition assistance to 230,200 people including primary school students living in the four most impoverished and food-insecure districts of Rwanda and over 150,000 refugees and asylum seekers from Burundi and DR Congo. All camp-based refugees in Rwanda depend mainly on food and nutrition assistance provided by WFP in the form of cash transfers, in-kind food or a combination of the two. The most vulnerable members of refugee’s population such as children, pregnant and breast-feeding mothers, and people living with HIV/AIDS and TB patients receive additional highly nutritious food supplements to improve their nutritional status.

• In April, WFP transferred US$ 973,100 through cash-based transfers to refugees living in camps. This form of food assistance not only enables refugees to purchase foods of their choice from local markets and shops around the camps but also promotes the socio-economic inclusion of refugees while boosting the local economy. To further encourage selfreliance and economic inclusion, WFP supported refugees in Mugombwa camp and surrounding host communities to produce maize for household consumption and sales.

• Over 75 percent of food procured during April for WFP’s assistance in Rwanda was purchased locally, including from smallholder farmers. Additionally, more than 650 mt of food commodities were distributed to refugees and school children in April.

• WFP supported smallholder farmers and continued building their capacity throughout the entire food value chain. With WFP support, more than 25,000 farmers participated in capacity building trainings during April and the supported farmers have been able to sell maize worth more than USD 1.26 million to formal private sector buyers since the beginning of the year.

• In addition to daily meals provided to students in 104 primary schools within Rwanda’s four poorest and most food insecure districts, WFP also supports schools through water, sanitation and health activities. As a result, health-related absenteeism has dropped from eight percent in 2016 to less than one percent today.

• The Ebola virus continues to spread in North-Kivu in DR Congo, and Rwanda remains at ‘high’ risk. WFP continues to provide assistance for national preparedness led by the Ministry of Health.

In Numbers

2,472 mt of food assistance distributed

122,613 USD transferred under food assistance for assets and resilience building

USD 21 m six months (May-October2019) net funding requirements

710,530 people assisted in April 2019

Operational Updates

• Food Security Updates: The results of April 2019 integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) indicate that 15 percent of Burundian population (1.6 million people) are acutely food-insecure (IPC 3&4) in April and May and in need of immediate food assistance. Kirundo, Muyinga, Cankuzo, Ruyigi, Rutana and Makamba provinces are the most affected. In the north (Kirundo and Muyinga), poor rainfall is the cause of the food insecurity, while in the eastern part, it can be attributed to the continuation of the 2018 OctoberDecember lean season in January 2019.

• In April, WFP continued the implementation of activities planned under the Interim Country Strategic Plan 2018-2020.
Under crisis response, WFP provided food assistance to over 43,800 refugees hosted in six camps in Burundi, and over 3,000 Burundian refugees returning from neighboring countries. WFP supported them with 897 mt and 140 mt of food assistance respectively. Returnees were assisted in transit centers in Makamba, Ruyigi and Muyinga, with a hot meal upon their arrival and a three-month ration upon departure to their areas of origin.

• Under resilience building, approximately 570,000 schoolgoing children were assisted with 1,048 mt of food in the form of hot meals served in schools during school days to encourage enrolment and retention and mitigate the drastic effect of food insecurity on affected households.

• Nutrition activities included stunting prevention and treatment of Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) programmes. Stunting prevention was implemented in Kirundo where about 32,000 children aged 6-23 months received 51 mt of ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF), and 33,000 pregnant and nursing women were provided with cereals, sugar and oil. MAM treatment reached over 8,000 pregnant and nursing women and over 8,000 children aged 6-59 months in Cankuzo, Kirundo, Rutana and Ngozi provinces who received over 98 mt of nutritious food to help restore a good nutritional status.

• Asset creation and livelihoods: Through a joint FAO/WFP resilience building project implemented in Cankuzo, WFP continued to support communities to create livelihood assets to enable them to be more resilient to shocks. These include, the rehabilitation of 21 km of rural roads to facilitate access to markets and health centers, installation of compost holes, food drying platforms, hygienic toilets, kitchen gardens, handwashing stations and the construction of land conservation systems. In the month of April, WFP also transferred USD 122,613 to 1,672 participants in the project.

• High-level nutrition event: In April, WFP-Burundi in cooperation with UNICEF facilitated a high-level advocacy event on nutrition organized by the Government of Burundi in Washington in the margins of the World Bank Spring event. Through the event,
Burundi sought to position itself as one of the countries to have adopted the Word Bank Group’s human capital approach and put the nutritional situation in Burundi on the international scene. At the end of the event, a number of participating countries including Netherlands and Switzerland committed to support the Government of Burundi in implementing and scaling up a national multi-sectoral nutrition plan, amongst others.

• Ebola: WFP continued to support Ebola preparedness activities in Burundi through Logistic support in the event of Ebola outbreak.
WFP installed six additional screening/isolation containers and tents. With these infrastructures, the necessary facilities are now in place as was requested by the Government and WHO. The infrastructures will soon be handed over to the Government.

“We are seeing a dramatic increase over the past few months in the number of security incidents in the area of North Kivu, which lies at the epicentre of this ebola outbreak,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, to journalists in Geneva as she recalled the brutal killing of a WHO colleague in mid-April.

She added that on Saturday, another attack took place during which another health worker was killed.

Insecurity equals lack of access

So far, in 2019, there have been 174 attacks against health care facilities or workers. That’s a three-fold increase compared to the number of attacks that took place during the previous five-month period (August through December 2018).

“Insecurity really is what is making the response to this Ebola outbreak so challenging and also so unpredictable,” she insisted, adding. “And this insecurity leads to a lack of access and that is really what is driving the increase in cases. When the response can’t reach people, they don’t get the chance to be vaccinated or to receive life-saving treatments if they do fall ill.”

Currently, the DRC’s worst ever outbreak of the deadly virus has seen 1,920 Ebola cases overall, including 1,281 deaths. Despite the risks, the more than 700 workers deployed by WHO remain in the area working alongside other health teams providing care.

“This Ebola response is one of the most complex health emergencies the world has faced,” said Dr. Moeti, explaining that “the authority of the Government is not strong, and what further complicates the situation is that there are many belligerents and armed groups and parties, and it’s not always clear under whose leadership they are operating”.

A new UN coordinating structure

To strengthen the coordination of the response and “create a much more enabling environment”, this week, the Deputy head of the DRC peacekeeping mission MONUSCO, David Gressly – newly appointed UN Emergency Ebola Response Coordinator– will be arriving in the city of Butembo, at the epicentre of the outbreak. Among several other key objectives, his role will be to help strengthen the DRC Government’s engagement around security, in a bid to reconcile various warring parties in the area.

In parallel, a scale-up of operations in the region from health and humanitarian organizations is also expected.

“I’m hopeful that this new structure will bring the much-needed stability, safety and clarity, and enable the response to proceed,” said Dr. Moeti.

‘Encouraging signs’

To date, more than 500 people have survived thanks to adequate care. In particular, transmissions in medical centres (“nosocomial transmissions”), which represented 35 per cent of all transmissions just a few weeks ago, which are now down to 5 per cent.

“That number is still too high, we still want to reach for zero,” said Dr. Michael Ryan, chief of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme.

Enhanced community engagement efforts continue to be put in place with 21 community Ebola committees in place so far, and vaccinations are also ongoing thanks to pop-up centres. Currently, 95 per cent of people offered vaccinations are accepting them and 90 per cent of families are agreeing to “safe and dignified burials”.

Dr. Ryan also explained that efforts in improving the surveillance and tracing of cases are also showing progress with 1,400 alerts per day on average, a number that was only half of that six weeks ago. The number of samples taken daily for laboratory analysis is also increasing steadily with the proportion of positive cases decreasing.

In another “encouraging sign”, Monday was “the first day in a very long time that we had zero positive cases among community deaths”, said Dr. Ryan, as he gave credit to the “brave frontline workers who risk their lives every day to do this work and to our communities who are very much engaged and participating in the response.”

Un atelier de sensibilisation sur l’adaptation aux changements climatiques a réuni pendant trois jours à Lubumbashi dans la Province du Haut-Katanga, les acteurs clés des ministères sectoriels et des animateurs des radios communautaires pour réfléchir sur les mesures et les notions d’adaptation dans les secteurs clés et sur l’intégration de l’adaptation dans des initiatives de développement dans la province du Haut-Katanga.

Cet atelier s’inscrit dans le cadre du processus de mise en œuvre de la Politique, Stratégie et Plan d’Action en matière des changements climatiques par le renforcement des capacités pour la planification de l’adaptation aux changements climatiques.

Initié par le Projet PNA (Planification de l’investissement à moyen terme pour l’adaptation dans des secteurs sensibles aux conditions RDC: faire avancer le processus du Plan National d’Adaptation) ces assises ont mobilisés une cinquantaine de cadres techniques de différents ministères sectoriels, des acteurs de la société civile et du secteur privé de la Ville de Lubumbashi ainsi que ses environs. Une trentaine d’animateurs des radios communautaires, ont pris part à ces travaux et ont pris la résolution de se mettre en réseaux pour désormais sensibiliser toutes les couches de la population sur l’impact des changements climatiques sur leur environnement immédiat.

Organisé par le Ministère de l’Environnement et Développement Durable avec l’appui du Programme des Nations-Unies pour le Développement (PNUD), cet atelier reparti en 3 jours avait pour objectif d’améliorer le niveau des connaissances des participants par la vulgarisation des notions d’adaptation aux changements climatiques, la mise en relief de ses impacts et le processus de Planification de l’adaptation aux changements climatiques. Au cours de cet atelier, les participants ont été également conscientisés sur la prise en compte du genre dans les politiques provinciales et sectorielles de l’adaptation aux changements climatiques.

Le Représentant du Secrétaire Général du Ministère de l’Environnement a mentionné dans son discours d’ouverture, l’importance de l’intégration effective des mesures d’adaptation dans les secteurs clés, pour accroitre les bienfaits et la durabilité des initiatives de développement et s’inscrire dans le cadre des politiques et stratégies du gouvernement.

La Représentante du Représentant Résident du PNUD, Madame Nelly Kankolongo a quant à elle souligné que les effets du changement climatique se font sentir dans plusieurs secteurs économiques clés tels que l’agriculture, le commerce, l’énergie hydraulique, etc… Ce qui justifie la prise en compte de la protection environnementale et l’adaptation au changement climatique parmi les 5 piliers du Plan National Stratégique de Développement 2019-2023 (PNSD

Le Gouverneur du Haut-Katanga par le biais de son Directeur de cabinet, a reconnu que sa province a élaboré le Plan de Développement provincial qui nécessite encore l’intégration de l’adaptation. Il a rassuré tous les participants de la détermination du gouvernement provincial à intégrer les priorités d’adaptation dans son plan de développement provincial et dans le processus de formulation du plan d’action prioritaire, en l'appuyant avec des mesures transversales intégrant les dimensions environnement, durabilité.

Au terme de trois jours de travail, une série de recommandations ont été formulées pour renforcer la sensibilisation au sein des communautés locales pour qu’elles adoptent des mesures et des comportements visant à préserver l’environnement. Il s’agit de la création d’un bureau de coordination des observations météorologique et climatologique pour la province et celle de multiplier les ateliers de renforcement des capacités sur les changements climatiques au bénéfice des radios communautaires du Haut-Katanga, et de leur doter des matériels pouvant leur permettre d’améliorer la production des émissions et reportages pour une meilleure sensibilisation.

La province du Haut-Katanga aura donc servi de province-guide pour une série de 5 ateliers de sensibilisation sur l’adaptation aux changements climatiques, en raison de son exposition avérée à la sécheresse et à une hausse importante de température, avec un risque environnemental lié à l’exploitation minière qui favorise la dégradation de l’environnement. Ces ateliers de sensibilisation seront ensuite organisés dans les quatre autres provinces pilotes du Projet PNA (Tshopo, Kwilu, Kongo-Central et Kinshasa) et s’étaleront jusqu’au mois de Juillet 2019.

DK

Summary

The Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) seeks the approval to extend the implementation period of the DRC Population Movement Appeal till 28th February 2020. Timeframe extension has been requested due to change of implementation modality of some of the activities for instance, Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have requested a change in latrine design as well as shelter design. There was also the continued influx of DRC refugees throughout the implementation timeframe and transition from emergency to longer term solutions has been delayed.

This timeframe extension is sought because it will allow to deal with issues of delay in implementation of certain activities owing to delayed procurement processes and financial reporting. Most importantly, the extension will facilitate a transition between emergency appeal into country operational plan.

Additional funding from Finnish Red Cross was also recently allocated, which allows the implementation of much needed activities which were initially underfunded.

Extension of this operations will not have any budgetary implications as 67% of the funding has been utilized while 63% of the budget required as of 30 April 2019 has been received.

A. SITUATION ANALYSIS

Description of the disaster

Over one million refugees have fled to Uganda in the last two and a half years, making it one of the largest refugee-hosting countries in the world. As per the latest Office of Prime Minister (OPM) and UNCHR “Refugee and Asylum-Seekers in Uganda” document dated 30 April 2019, the total number of refugees and asylum-seekers in Uganda reached 1,25 million. The total number of DRC refugees and asylum seekers in Uganda as per 30 April 2019 UNHCR is equal to 339,476 people, of whom 16,501 people arrived since the beginning of 2019. The influx of DRC refugees remained constant as well in 2019.

According to the Uganda Refugee Response Plan (RRP) a total of 120,000 new arrivals from DRC are expected between 2019 and 2020. However, in the joint OPM – UNHCR Press Release dated 8 May 2019 it was communicated that this number might increase with an additional 40,000 people due to the deteriorating security conditions in the eastern part of DRC. Reports received from various sources indicate that recent hostilities among armed groups in the DRC’s North Kivu province have led to more than 100,000 people fleeing their homes in April. Of these, an estimated 60,000 people fled as a result of fighting around Kamango near the town of Beni in North Kivu. The situation is further complicated by the fact that a number of the newly displaced Congolese are fleeing Ebola-affected areas.

The main settlements receiving DRC refugees are: Nakivale (9%), Kyangwali (8%) Kyaka II (7%) Kiryandongo (5%), Rwanmwanja (5%) and Oruchinga (0.6%). With reference to the new expected influx, not accounted for in the RRP, UNHCR and OPM are working on site development in Nakivale and Kyaka II respectively in Isingiro and Kyegegwa districts and on contingency measures to prepare to host the new arrivals, including:

• Additional capacities and resources for carrying out biometric registration at border points to ensure faster processing of the new arrivals and avoid congestion at the reception and transit centre;
• Additional core relief item (CRI) stocks (soaps, sanitary materials, blankets, mats, jerry cans, and kitchen sets) and shelter materials (plastic sheets, poles) which are worryingly low and require immediate replenishment.
IFRC and URCS are monitoring the situation at the border with DRC together with government actors and humanitarian stakeholders. URCS is actively taking part in Ebola and Population Movement preparedness discussions and continuous its Ebola preparedness activities in the districts bordering DRC, as well as in the refugee camps.

In respect to the ongoing Emergency Appeal as per OPM-UNHCR Settlement profile dashboard, dated 30 April 2019, the total population in Kyangwali refugee settlement is equal to 96,047 (36,630 HH) of whom 94,767 refugees and 1,280 asylum seekers. Figure 1 provides more information on the population in Kyangwali refugee settlement.

1. Situation update

Weekly numbers of confirmed Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases have slightly decreased in past weeks. Over the past seven days, a total of 88 new confirmed cases were reported compared to the previous week where 121 new confirmed cases were reported. Katwa, one of epicentres of the outbreak, reported fewer cases this week, while other health zones such as Mabalako, Kalunguta and Mandima have seen an increase in case reporting. Active transmission was reported in 14 of the 22 health zones that have been affected to date. Other initial encouraging findings such as a lower proportion of reported nosocomial infections, a lower proportion of community deaths and a higher proportion of registered contacts at case detection have also been reported. However, this decrease in the number of reported cases should be interpreted with extreme caution given the complex operating environment and fragility of the security situation. Weekly fluctuations in these indicators have been reported in the past and uncertainties remain with regards to the ability of the surveillance system to identify all new cases in areas faced with ongoing insecurity. Operations are still regularly hampered by security issues, and the risk of national and regional spread remains very high.

Mabalako reported 23% (73/320) of the new confirmed cases in the past 21 days. Nine out of the 12 Mabalako health areas have reported new confirmed cases during this period. In the 21 days between 6 to 26 May 2019, 88 health areas within 14 health zones reported new cases, representing 49% of the 179 health areas affected to date (Table 1 and Figure 2). During this period, a total of 320 confirmed cases were reported, the majority of which were from the health zones of Mabalako (23%, n=73), Butembo (19%, n=61), Katwa (14%, n=45), Kalunguta (12%, n=37), Beni (11%, n=35) ), Musienene (7%, n=23) and Mandima (7%, n=22).

As of 26 May 2019, a total of 1920 EVD cases, including 1826 confirmed and 94 probable cases, were reported. A total of 1281 deaths were reported (overall case fatality ratio 67%), including 1187 deaths among confirmed cases. Of the 1920 confirmed and probable cases with known age and sex, 58% (1113) were female, and 29% (565) were children aged less than 18 years. The number of healthcare workers affected has risen to 105 (6%of total cases).

Overview

In April, 69,897 eligible refugees and asylum-seekers (34,358 families) received cash assistance in Greece, in 112 locations.

UNHCR provides cash assistance in Greece, as part of the ESTIA programme, funded by the European Commission. Cash assistance restores dignity and empowers asylum-seekers and refugees who can now choose how to cover their basic needs. It also contributes directly to the economy of the host community through the purchase of services and goods. UNHCR in Greece works with the Greece Cash Alliance partners the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

Demographics of Refugees and Asylum-Seekers Assisted with Cash

Since April 2017, 114,260 eligible individuals have received cash assistance in Greece at least once. Eligibility is assessed on the basis of one’s date of entry in the country, legal status and current location. Of the 69,897 individuals who received cash assistance this month, 13,527 have international protection in Greece. Out of 34,358 families, 23% were women, 39% men and 38% children. 31% of all who received cash assistance this month were families of five members or more and a further 31% were single adults.

The amount of cash assistance distributed to each household is proportionate to the family size. It ranges between 90 euros for an individual in catered accommodation, to 550 euros for a family of seven members or more in self-catered accommodation.

1.0 Acknowledgement

UNHCR and WFP have joined efforts to develop a five-year strategy for the DRC refugees to attain selfreliance. Special thanks and gratitude are due to the refugee households of Lovua Settlement for their time and cooperation in the data collection process. A vote of thanks to all who have given inputs towards the successful completion of this strategy. Special thanks to the Food security and livelihood working group (LWF, IDA,UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP and WVA) who continuously supported in reviewing, summarising and translating the various literatures and to community leaders, individuals and government counterparts for participating in the various assessment.

2.0 Executive Summary

The outbreak of violence in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in March 2017 triggered displacement inside the country and across the border into neighbouring Angola. The conflict resulted in a devastating humanitarian crisis, gender based violence, loss of livelihood assets, damage to vital infrastructure, and above all, exacerbated hunger and poverty. As per December 2018, over 23,297 refugees are living in Lunda Norte Province with 18, 078 living in Lóvua settlement and around 5,219 still living in urban areas as relocation to Lóvua settlement is underway.

UN agencies, specifically FAO, UNDP, UNHCR, WFP and partners have continued to strengthen the development of Lóvua settlement to ensure long-term access to basic services for Congolese refugees living there. While maintaining a strong humanitarian response to Congolese refugees, UNHCR and WFP recognizes that there is a pressing need to engage in activities which protect people’s livelihoods assets, supporting them to rebuild livelihoods where possible and promote self-reliance. Hence the Livelihood Strategy is expected to respond to this need and its development has involved internal and external consultations with partners, beneficiaries and other stakeholders.

The strategy is aligned with the objectives of the 2019-2020 Regional Refugee Response Plan for the DRC situation, including the Angola section. It is also aligned with the 2018-2022 Angola National Development Plan in a number of strategic areas. The strategy has integrated recommendations from the UNHCR/WFP JAM, WVI Market Assessment, the WFP multi-sectoral capacity assessment for Cash Based Transfers (CBT), and the Detailed livelihood assessment conducted by UNHCR. The multi-year strategy has one goal - to improve the livelihoods of refugees and host communities through economic and financial inclusion for selfreliance - the focus of which is to contribute to SDG 2 and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR).

The strategy is built on three inter-connected strategic objectives – I. Improving food security and nutrition among the populations affected by crisis and shocks, including refugees in Lunda Norte province; II. Improving economic inclusion opportunities and building self-reliance of targeted refugees and host communities in Lunda Norte province through a multi-partner approach; and III. Providing technical assistance to local government institutions to better deliver sustainable results by the government and include refugees and asylum seekers into national systems and services.
The strategy encompasses a five year approach of graduating the refugees from complete dependency on food assistance to increased self-reliance. The approach will involve market oriented economic inclusion initiatives. The strategy will seek to promote social cohesion within refugees and host communities, increase financial inclusion and help both refugees and host communities to achieve greater self-reliance in line with the Inter-Agency Livelihood Strategy for 2019-2024, which calls for more creative ways to help refugees to be increasingly self-reliant while ensuring that such activities also benefit host communities. All conditional and unconditional transfers will be accompanied by specialised nutritious foods to minimise the impacts of lean periods and shocks affecting food scarcity and nutrition status of vulnerable and poor parts of the population. The approach will also be accompanied by Social and Behaviour Change Communications (SBCC) for women, children and men to ensure good nutrition and health practices are adopted.

Through this strategy UNHCR and WFP will take the opportunity to support the Government of Angola to carry out Strategic Review to lay down the development trajectory informed by analysis of the context and gaps, and recommendations required for necessary interventions relevant to SDG 2. UNHCR and WFP will also play a vital role in strengthening the technical capacity of relevant government departments, development agencies and institutions to conduct food and nutrition security analysis to enable better informed nationally owned evidence-based policies. Efforts to enhance government capacity will also include capacity to coordinate and deliver evidence-based nutrition assistance that improves nutritional status of people with specific needs and capacity to improve education indicators.
Greater efforts will also be made to ensure that affected populations are provided with relevant information relating to programme interventions and establishing effective complaints and feedback mechanisms through which concerns related to livelihood development activities are voiced, protection and other issues identified through inclusive community consultations, the programme activities will equitably address the priority needs of women and men (with attention to the needs of the youth) and will include enhancing production, processing and market linkage, on- and off-farm income opportunities and trainings. UNDP, UNHCR and WFP will work closely with the Government and other partners to design livelihood interventions that are gender and nutrition sensitive, avoiding and/or mitigating any potential negative impact on the environment and are in line with environmental and social standards.
The joint Livelihoods Strategy has the broad objective of protecting and restoring livelihoods and food security for conflict affected Congolese in Angola through support to household livelihoods, contribute to revitalizing local economy and strengthening resilience to ongoing and future shocks, while seeking increased opportunities for economic inclusion. The implementation of the strategy will be based on the following livelihood interventions:

1) Agriculture and value chain development: Protecting and promoting household livelihood food security and nutrition at all levels through agriculture interventions that includes cropping (subsistence farming-agribusness and home/kitchen gardening) using conservation and organic farming methodology, raising animals (goats, pigs etc), apiary, and fishery;

2) Self-employment: Increased availability of and access to diversified income sources will be achieved through; business and vocational skills enhancement by strengthening local markets and service delivery; promoting agribusiness; market linkages, value chain promotion, private sector partnership development and institutional capacity building. Formation of community saving and lending groups, establishing vocational training centre to strengthen theoretical knowledge, adult literacy as well as offering upgrading courses to craftsmen and trainees will be provided with business kits and or where applicable resolving grants to establishing and or boost their businesses; and 3) Advocacy: Increasing advocacy and partnership for government departments, development actors and the private sector in order to promote economic inclusion; access to labour markets, finance services, entrepreneurship and economic opportunities for both refugees and host community in Lóvua.

The design of this strategy is based on the UNHCR Global Strategy for livelihoods outlining livelihoods guiding principles that set forth the core standards behind all livelihood programming1 . UNHCR/WFP and partners will develop a range of activities and approaches to building resilience in a short, medium and long term. The design of livelihood interventions will be based on the refugees interest, practices and capabilities as well as existing economic activity and available opportunities. Livelihood interventions will be market based oriented to enable beneficiaries succeed in local economy and avoid dependence on partners and or UNHCR/WFP and will allow replication and be scale up to benefit a maximum number of refugees and host community. The activities will also be designed to enable significant increase in ability to achieve selfresilience.

Implementation of the strategy will be through a phased approach, whereby UNHCR/WFP will work with partners to pilot activities on a small scale in the 1st year and gradually increased in the coming 2-5 years, as the situation permits. The strategy encompasses a range of interventions focusing on both household level food security and livelihoods and interventions which aim to stimulate local economic activity, through inclusion of refugees’ approach, “at the heart of this approach is the idea that refugees should be included in the community development activities from the very beginning. When refugees gain access to education and labour markets, they can build their skills and become self-reliant, contributing to local economies and fuelling the development of the communities hosting them. Allowing refugees to benefit from national services and integrating them into national development plans is essential for both refugees and the communities hosting them”2

Involvement of the beneficiaries and stakeholders right away from the start of the programme is meant to build ownership and sustainability of the program beyond the project/programme cycle. At the end of the fifth year of implementation of this Strategy, livelihood interventions will be independently running and scaling up with out UNHCR/WFP further support.

Brussels, 29 May 2019

The European Commission has adopted seven new programmes and additional funds for two existing projects, worth €99.5 million. They will support ongoing efforts to help the most vulnerable people in the Horn of Africa.

Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, said: "The Horn of Africa has an unprecedented opportunity to shore up peace and stability throughout the region. The nearly €100 million we have approved will support vulnerable communities, contributing therefore directly to that peace and stability."

At national level, four new programmes have been approved in these countries and areas:

• South Sudan: increased access to primary and secondary education for children in remote areas (€15 million) and access to health services, including nutrition services, especially for pregnant women and children under five (€15 million).
• Sudan: better access to health for displaced populations and host communities in Darfur (€15 million).
• Ethiopia: socio-economic development and peace-building for vulnerable and marginalised communities in the Tigray region (€6 million).

Alongside these, two newly approved programmes will support the UN's Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework in Ethiopia and the Great Lakes region:

• Ethiopia – Gambella region: support for health service delivery for host communities, refugees and other displaced people (€8 million).

• Great Lakes region: enhanced dialogue to find better solutions for displaced people and host communities in Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (€9 million).

Migration challenges in this region, which hosts the highest number of refugees in the world, will continue to be addressed through the second phase of the Better Migration Management Programme (€30 million).

In addition, new funds have been approved for two ongoing programmes in Kenya: an extra €1 million will go to a youth programme, while additional half a million euros will support the country's strategy to counter violent extremism.

Background

The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa was established in 2015 to address the root causes of instability, irregular migration and forced displacement. EU institutions, EU Member States and other donors have so far allocated €4.2 billion to the Trust Fund.

With these seven new programmes, the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa counts 200 approved programmes, worth nearly €4 billion, across the three regions (the North of Africa, the Sahel and Lake Chad region and the Horn of Africa).

This funding is divided up as follows: North of Africa, €0.6 billion (21 programmes), Sahel/Lake Chad, €1.9 billion (97 programmes), and Horn of Africa, €1.4 billion (77 programmes). There are also five cross-regional programmes.

Previous sets of actions approved in the Horn of Africa

• Eighth package of actions in the Horn of Africa under the EU Trust Fund for a total amount of €139 million approved in December 2018
• Seventh package of actions in the Horn of Africa under the EU Trust Fund for a total amount of €294 million approved in May 2018
• Joint operational Committee for the Sahel and Lake Chad, North of Africa and Horn of Africa windows approves a package for a total amount of €150 million in February 2018
• Fifth package of actions in the Horn of Africa under the EU Trust Fund for a total package of €59 million approved in April 2017
• Fourth package of actions in the Horn of Africa under the EU Trust Fund for a total package of €170 million approved in December 2016
• Third package of actions in the Horn of Africa under the EU Trust Fund for a total package of €66.5 million approved in October 2016
• Second package of actions in the Horn of Africa under the EU Trust Fund for a total package of €117 million approved in April 2016
• First package of actions in the Horn of Africa under the EU Trust Fund for a total amount of €253 million approved in December 2015

For more information

EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa - Horn of Africa

IP/19/2729

Press contacts:

Carlos MARTIN RUIZ DE GORDEJUELA (+32 2 296 53 22)

Elena GONZALEZ VERDESOTO (+32 2 299 98 62)

General public inquiries: Europe Direct by phone 00 800 67 89 10 11 or by email

UNPOL MBAYE SADY DIOP ET TSAHIROU MAHAMIDOU

Dans le cadre de la professionnalisation et l’autonomisation de la Police Nationale Congolaise (PNC), la cellule de formation de la Police MONUSCO du Secteur de Bunia organise, en partenariat avec le Commissariat Provincial et le Commandement de l’Ecole de Police, une session de recyclage au profit de trente (30) Officiers de Police Judiciaire (OPJ) de l’Escadron Protection de l’Enfant et Prevention des Violences Sexuelles (EPEPVS) et des Points Focaux Violence Sexuelles Basées sur le Genre (VSBG) /Protection de l’enfant (PE) des unités de police.

La cérémonie d’ouverture de ladite session a eu lieu le lundi 27 Mai 2019 à l’Ecole de Police de Bunia. Ont participé à cette cérémonie, le Directeur de l’Ecole de police, le Commissaire supérieur BASAKI MATABIM THEOPHILE, l’Adjoint au Chef Secteur en charge de la formation, l’Officier de Police Individuel des Nations Unies, Alle N’CHO JEROME, le formateur en colocation à l’Ecole de Police de BUNIA, UNPOL Hassan MOHAMED ABDOURAHMAN et les apprenants.

Après avoir salué le partenariat entre la MONUSCO et la PNC, les Formateurs de la Composante Police de la MONUSCO ont exprimé leur gratitude à l’endroit des responsables de la PNC dans la province de l’Ituri et du Directeur de l’Ecole pour la disponibilité et l’engagement dont ils font preuve pour la réussite organisationnelle des différentes sessions de recyclage.

Par la suite, ils ont présenté brièvement le programme de formation avant d’inviter les participants à cet atelier à faire preuve de sérieux et d’assiduité. Ils ont aussi sollicité de leur part une participation active et de l’abnégation pour relever le défi de la professionnalisation de la PNC seul garant de paix et de sécurité pour la Nation Congolaise.

En prenant la parole, le Directeur de l’Ecole de Police a tout d’abord remercié la composante police de la MONUSCO qui ne ménage aucun effort pour améliorer les compétences professionnelles de la PNC.

Il a, ensuite, invité les participants à mettre rigoureusement en application les notions qu’ils vont acquérir pendant cette activité de formation. Sur ce, le Commissaire Supérieur BASAKI MATABIM THEOPHILE a déclaré la session ouverte.

Cette session se déroulera sur cinq jours, du 27 au 31 Mars 2019 et vise à faire mieux connaitre aux apprenants les infractions en matière de violences sexuelles et les notions de bases en matière de droits et protection de l’enfant en République Démocratique du Congo.

A la une

Weekly picks

DRC

An escalation of intercommunal tensions between Banyamulenge and Bafuliri ethnicities since 4 May triggered the displacement of 125,000 people to safer villages and forests in Fizi, Uvira and Mwenga territories in Sud Kivu province. Congolese armed forces have stepped up their operations which has contributed to some improvements in the security situation and allowed return movements to commence. IDPs and returnees are in urgent need of food, shelter and NFIs, WASH and health assistance; access is severely limited.

Go to DRC page

IRAQ

At least 6,100 acres of agricultural crops have been burned in 136 separate incidents from 8 May to 26 May. 11 governorates have been affected, with more than 50% of the area burnt in Salah al-Din governorate. IS claimed responsibility for setting wheat crops on fire as civilians refused to pay taxes to them. The wheat harvest is ongoing from May to mid-June. Farmers are at risk of losing their annual harvest. Most of the affected areas are within disputed territories where IS has been trying to take advantage of a security vacuum left by Iraqi forces, Shia groups and the Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

Go to Iraq page

SYRIA

An escalation in fighting in northern Hama, southern Idleb and rural areas of Aleppo displaced at least 200,000 people between 1 and 16 May. The impact on civilians, infrastructure and fields has been devastating; at least three IDP settlements, one refugee camp, 25 schools and 20 health facilities have been affected by a new wave of barrel bomb attacks and artillery strikes. The civilian death toll continues to rise and has likely surpassed 250 people. Access is severely limited, and needs persist across all sectors (especially protection, food, shelter, health and WASH). The northwestern region was declared a demilitarised zone under a deal between Turkey and Russia in September 2018 which aimed to avert a government assault on the area. The Syrian government has stepped up their attacks claiming they have been targeting extremist groups in the area.

Go to Syria page

Weekly Overview

HEALTH

● Active screening ongoing in 14 active IOM-supported PoE sites, namely: Yei airstrip, Yei SSRRC, Tokori, Lasu, Kaya, Bazi, Salia Musala, Okaba, Khor Kaya (along Busia Uganda Border) in Morobo County, Pure, Kerwa, Khorijo, Birigo in Lainya County and Bori

WASH

● Construction of new PoE shelters in Bori, KajoKeji County is ongoing.

● Rehabilitation is ongoing of the existing incinerator and construction of waste pit for the medical waste management at Kaya PHCC