Eritrea
Drought, 23 Jan 2026
| Allocation | $2,300,013 |
|---|---|
| Emergency type | Drought |
| Window | Rapid Response |
| Recipient UN Agencies | FAO, UNICEF |
| Group of people targeted | Host communities |
| Number of people targeted | 78,316 |
| Status | Under Implementation |
| Allocation code | CERF-ERI-26-RR-1516 |
| Title | CERF Rapid Response: Eritrea Jan 2026 (drought ) |
Overview of the humanitarian situation
The Bahri rainy season, which normally begins in October, failed in 2025, coinciding with escalating livestock disease. Rainfall in November and December in the affected areas was approximately 80% below the long‑term average, preventing rangelands from recovering during the season. Communities in the Northern and Southern Red Sea regions largely depend on livestock and marine resources for their livelihoods. However, due to reduced precipitation and temperatures rising to extreme levels, feed and water shortages have become recurrent, placing the livelihoods of thousands of pastoralists under threat. These challenges are further compounded by an increased incidence of animal disease in these locations. The situation is currently affecting an estimated 112,000 people and places nearly 500,000 livestock at risk.
CERF-funded assistance
In response to the drought in Debubawi Keih Bahri and Semienawi Keih Bahri (Southern Red Sea) regions of Eritrea, the Emergency Relief Coordinator on 23 January 2026 allocated $2.3m from CERF’s Rapid Response window. This funding enabled UN agencies and partners to provide emergency, life-saving assistance to people, including 20,038 women, 11,714 men, 46,564 children, and 4,850 persons with disability in the Food Security (Agriculture), Nutrition, Multi-Purpose Cash, and WASH sectors.
Projects included in this allocation
| Organization | Project title | Code | Amount in US$ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAO | Urgent humanitarian response to avert food insecurity, malnutrition and distress in vulnerable livestock farming communities affected by failed rains and animal disease in south eastern Eritrea | CERF-ERI-26-RR-FAO-38977 | US$915,000 | Read more |
| UNICEF | Provision of life-saving WASH, Nutrition, and Social Protection assistance to communities affected by failed rains and animal disease outbreaks in coastal Eritrea. | CERF-ERI-26-RR-CEF-38978 | US$1,385,013 | Read more |