Ethiopia, April 10 (UNHCR) – Chinese actress Yao Chen has concluded her first visit to Africa as UNHCR\'s honorary patron for China by hailing the courage of Somali refugees and the generosity of their hosts in Jijiga and Dollo Ado, Ethiopia.

Mr. Moses Okello, UNHCR Representative in Ethiopia and Mr. Ota Koji, Chief Representative of JICA sign Memorandum of Understanding to Support the Operation Of JICA’s First Water Development Project in Somali Region of Ethiopia.

As part of a two-day mission to Ethiopia (9-10 Feb.), UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner Alexander T. Aleinikoff and the Chief Executive Officer of IKEA Foundation, Mr. Per Heggenes, visited Kobe and Bur Amino camps on 10 February 2012. The two officials appreciated the progress being made to address Kobe’s alarming mortality rate in such a short time.

Final report of Nutrition Survey in Kobe and Hilaweyn camps, Dollo Ado, Ethiopia, Oct-Nov 2011 published by UNHCR, ARRA, WFP, UNICEF and GOAL. (UNHCR, ETHIOPIA)

An extra-ordinary Task Force Meeting is called in for 04 January, 14:30 at UNHCR. The topic for that meeting is to discuss the contingency planning for refugees coming from Sudan and Somalia.

Refugee population in Ethiopia\'s Dollo Ado passes the 140,000 mark.

Hundreds of Somali refugees in southern Ethiopia’s Dollo Ado region have been relocated from an overcrowded transit centre to a new camp, Bur Amino. The Camp was opened on 30 Nov. 2011 and became the fifth one in the Dollo Ado region. The first group of some 400 refugees has been moved by bus from the transit centre to Bur Amino, 26 kilometres away. On arrival, the visibly relieved refugees underwent health and nutrition screening before being shown to their tents and given hot meals.

Dollo Ado camps are currently preparing for Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. The sixteen days in question, Nov 25th to Dec 10th each year, encompass International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, International Human Rights Day, Universal Children’s Day and World AIDS Day. The campaign will use a variety of activities, including sport, music, drama, coffee ceremonies and community discussions. The key message selected by partners for Dollo Ado is \'Peace in the Home, is Peace in the Community. We can end violence against women.

An average of 178 refugees arrived every day from the beginning of the month, up to Saturday 11 Nov. If this trend is sustained, a total of over 5,300 individuals can be expected by the end of this month alone, which would make November the second highest month in 2011 in terms of new arrivals.

Task Force meeting at Addis Ababa level was cancelled for tomorrow 15th Nov. 2011.