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Zimbabwe Complex Emergency Situation Report #7, FY 2009
USAID / DCHA
June 19, 2009

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Background

Humanitarian conditions for most Zimbabweans remain difficult due to the country's economic crisis, limited access to basic services, the effects of HIV and AIDS, poorly maintained infrastructure, political instability, and violence. Although national incidence rates have stabilized, cholera remains a concern due to recurring localized outbreaks. Previous Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) policies and corruption, as well as a decade of economic decline characterized by hyperinflation and high unemployment, have resulted in poor infrastructure for agricultural production, water and sanitation, and power generation. Although food security in Zimbabwe has improved in 2009, relief agencies predict the need for a large-scale food assistance program starting in August or September, when stores from the most recent harvest will likely be exhausted. Following an insufficient harvest in April 2008, due to lack of access to seeds and fertilizer, relief agencies provided emergency food assistance to more than 5 million people per month between December 2008 and March 2009.

On February 11, 2009, the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) implemented the September 2008 Global Political Agreement, forming a transitional government. However, tensions remain regarding ongoing police detentions of political activists, farm seizures, and appointments to government posts. In early April, ZANU-PF and MDC announced a 100-day plan to begin the process of economic recovery.

On October 6, 2008, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Katherine S. Dhanani reissued a disaster declaration in Zimbabwe due to the complex emergency. On December 16, the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires a.i. also declared a disaster due to the effects of the cholera outbreak. From mid-December through early April, a USAID/OFDA Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) based in Zimbabwe identified humanitarian needs resulting from the cholera outbreak, evaluated response effectiveness, conducted field assessments, and participated in U.N. cluster meetings. To date in FY 2009, the U.S. Government (USG) has provided more than $156 million for health, protection, disaster risk reduction, agriculture and food security, humanitarian coordination and information management, local and regional food procurement and distribution, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs in Zimbabwe, as well as emergency relief supplies and food assistance.

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