The Sunday Mail
Lungile Tshuma
The United Nations and its development partners have mobilised US$76 million for drought relief in Zimbabwe in response to Government’s US$1,6 billion appeal.
The money was mobilised in terms of a UN response plan prepared on the back of a countrywide assessment that put the vulnerable population at three million.
A Cabinet Committee leading the Emergency Drought Response is prioritising food importation and related logistics (US$717 million), food security and social protection (US$34,4 million), emergency safe water supply (US$350 million), micro-nutrient/under five feeding (US$16 million) and school feeding (US$199,7 million).
It is also focusing on emergency irrigation infrastructure rehabilitation and production (US$350 million), livestock support (US$138 million), livestock de-stocking (US$53,8 million) and wildlife relief (US$15,7 million).
Donations are being received through Government or directly by affected communities.
UN Zimbabwe Resident Co-ordinator’s Office communication specialist Mr Sirak Gebrehiwot said: “Informed by the 2015 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee report, a UN Response Plan was prepared and, to date, the UN agencies — with support from development partners and in cooperation with non-governmental organisations — have reached more than one million affected people and generated US$76 million in funding from partners, including US/USAid, UK/DfID, EU/ECHO and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund.
“Following the Government’s declaration of a State of Disaster and the updated Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee Report, the response plan has been further refined in order to address various sectoral needs in the areas of: agriculture, food, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, child protection, and education.”
Mr Gebrehiwot said the UN would devise other strategies to help Zimbabwe deal with drought.
“In this regard, the UN has been working closely with the Government and its designated institutions as well as development and humanitarian partners in providing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable people with the greatest needs, regardless of their political or other affiliations and beliefs, with full transparency and accountability.
“The UN agencies and their humanitarian partners undertaking the emergency drought response have been adhering to these humanitarian principles and have put in place mechanisms to ensure that these principles are respected.
“Regardless of whether the humanitarian assistance is delivered through direct implementation or through implementing partners, all humanitarian agencies have in place a robust monitoring system that ensures that aid is distributed to the intended beneficiaries.”
Zimbabwe, like most of Southern Africa, is experiencing drought brought about by climate change.
Yields are generally low in most districts and authorities have enlisted such groups for aid.
In South Africa, more than half of the plus-50 million is facing hunger, with the country requiring at least R20 billion to import five to six million tonnes of maize.
According to the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee, about 2,8 million people in that country need food aid.
