PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Eritrea: Coronavirus (9 June 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the (a) humanitarian situation and (b) food security in Eritrea as a result of that country's covid-19 response.

Asked by:
Dame Harriett Baldwin (Conservative)

We are deeply concerned about food insecurity and the worsening humanitarian situation in Eritrea. COVID-19 and the desert locust outbreak are compounding high humanitarian need already caused by residual effects of war and climate change induced disasters. Limited health infrastructure, limited diagnostic capacity, low levels of sanitation coverage and high pre-existing levels of malnutrition and morbidity raise the Eritrean population’s vulnerability. The locust outbreak is destroying crops, livelihoods and essential food supplies. The impact of COVID-19 on domestic market supply chains and household food and income sources could also be significant.

Existing humanitarian and development programmes in Eritrea are being adapted to address current food security challenges. The UK has funded life-saving activity in Eritrea for several years, including providing £4 million to UNICEF in 2019-20 to help treat malnutrition in under-fives and provide access to safe hygiene and sanitation services. The UK has provided £7 million to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Regional Emergency Appeal for the locust outbreak, which includes Eritrea. With UK’s support, the FAO is spraying pesticides on the ground and by air to prevent further damage to crops and livelihoods.

Answered by:
Sir James Duddridge (Conservative)
16 June 2020