Horn of Africa results: Africa Trust Fund has provided skills training to more than 46,500 people and created more than 12,200 jobs

Thanks to the Africa Trust Fund in the Horn of Africa, 37,500 people have benefited from professional (TVET) and skills development trainings and more than 46,500 people (migrants in transit, children in mobility, IDPs and refugees) have been protected or assisted. In Ethiopia alone, 36,700 people received chemicals to render their water safe for consumption. These are some of the main results of the third Monitoring and Learning System (MLS) report. The report shows that the Africa Trust Fund in the Horn of Africa has continued to improve skills development, provide employment opportunities and strengthened the resilience of the most vulnerable populations in the region. The MLS report provides an overview of the EUTF response to the challenges of the Horn of Africa region when it comes to irregular migration and instability. Together with the MLS case studies, which are regularly published, it allows to identify opportunities, best practices, and innovative approaches to improve the programming and implementation of projects.

Greater economic and employment opportunities

So far, more than 12 200 jobs have been created through the Africa Trust Fund in the Horn of Africa region and more than 60% of these jobs are employing women. Overall, there has been a conscious shift from cash-for-work activities (temporary employment in public projects, such as improving and maintaining water systems and schemes, latrines and pipelines) to other forms of employment that are considered more sustainable and likelier to lead to long-term employment, for example supporting the creation of micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs). So far, more than 1,700 MSMEs have been created or supported through the Africa Trust Fund in the Horn of Africa.

Over 37,500 people have benefited from professional (TVET) and skills development trainings under Africa Trust Fund activities. For example, through the Regional Development and Protection Programme in Kenya: Support to the Kalobeyei Development Programme, which is responsible for a large portion of these trainings, beneficiaries have been taking part in business-oriented agricultural trainings or certified in sustainable charcoal production. This program targets both refugees and host communities in and around the Kalobeyei refugee camp.

• Susan joined the Kalobeyei traders programme that is building business skills and creating new [...] s in Kenya

Furthermore, almost 31,000 individuals have been supported with incentives and stipend payments, the largest portion of these through the IMPACT project (South Sudan). This project aims to promote access to education for children by paying regular incentives to primary teachers. So far, over 28,000 teachers have benefited from this program in almost 3,000 schools across all states of the country. The project aims to reach 30,000 teachers.

Strengthening resilience of communities and in particular the most vulnerable including refugees and other displaced people

The Africa Trust Fund in the Horn of Africa has allowed 3.36 million people to access improved basic services and has also provided 2.34 million basic services through its programs. The great majority of these were health services. For example, the RESET II project in Ethiopia has provided more than 36,700 people with water treatment chemicals to render water safe for consumption.

Furthermore, the Africa Trust Fund has helped rebuild more than 500 infrastructures. Through the RE-INTEG program (Somalia) alone, seventeen schools were constructed or rehabilitated and ten schools were equipped with teaching and learning materials and improved facilities in three TVET training institutions.

Improved migration management in countries of origin, transit and destination

More than 46,500 people (migrants in transit, children in mobility, IDPs and refugees) have been protected or assisted in the Horn of Africa. Furthermore, more than 47,400 migrants or potential migrants have been reached by information campaigns on migration and risks linked to irregular migration. Over 14, 600 voluntary returns or humanitarian repatriations have been supported and more than 2,800 returning migrants have benefitted from reintegration assistance in the region.

Improved governance and conflict prevention and reduction of forced displacement and irregular migration

This is the first MLS report which includes projects aiming at protection the victims of human trafficking. In the last quarter of last year, 38 victims (34 female and four male) of trafficking were assisted or referred to assistance services in Kenya and Ethiopia.

So far, thirty cross-border cooperation initiatives have been created, launched or supported. Through the Boresha project three business training centres have been set-up to provide training to women and youth in the border areas of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya (Mandera). This project is being implemented under the Collaboration in Cross-Border Areas of the Horn of Africa Region programme that aims to prevent and mitigate the impact of local conflict in the borderland areas of Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, as well as to promote economic development and greater resilience.

• Collaboration in Cross-Border areas of the Horn of Africa region brochure.

Moreover, more than 25,800 people have participated in conflict prevention and peace building activities. Most of the implemented actions involved awareness raising (54%), community dialogue (36%) and mediation between civilians and security forces (4%).

• How can economic opportunities for the youth contribute to conflict prevention? Read our latest [...] t in Kenya

Key financial figures

As of January 2019, the EUTF in the Horn of Africa had committed €1.48 billion funds of which €806 million had been contracted to over 101 regional and country-based projects (in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia and Uganda). Of these, 64 projects are already being implemented.

Funding and implementation continue to follow to the EUTF’s four Strategic Objectives and the strategic priorities set by the Strategic Board in April 2018, i.e. i) returns and reintegration; ii) refugee management; iii) completing progress on the securitisation of documents and civil registry; iv) anti-trafficking measures; v) essential stabilisation efforts in Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan; and vi) migration dialogue.

Regional projects represent the largest portion (€193 million) of contracts, followed by Somalia (€190 million), which overtook Ethiopia (€138 million). The significant increase in Somalia’s budget, among others, reflects the prioritisation of criteria v) ‘essential stabilisation efforts in Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan’ as assigned by the EUTF’s Strategic Board in April 2018. The remaining funds have been allocated as follows: South Sudan (€98 million) and Sudan (€95 million), Uganda (€34 million), Kenya (€33 million) Djibouti (€25 million).

About this report

This is the third quarterly report of the Monitoring and Learning System (MLS) for the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa (EUTF) Horn of Africa (HoA) window. It covers the outputs by EUTF funded projects until the end of the third quarter (Q3) of 2018 (July to September 2018).

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