East Africa ’ s Poor Rains: Hunger Worsened, Crops Scorched, Livestock Dead

This report highlights the critical need for prompt and targeted action to effectively respond to the food crises and to address their root causes. The EU has taken leadership in this response. In 2016, we allocated € 550 million already, followed by another € 165 million that we have just mobilized to assist the people affected by famine and drought in the Horn of Africa,” said Neven Mimica, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development.“The report is the outcome of a joint effort and a concrete follow-up to the commitments the EU made at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, which identified the urgent need for transparent, independent but consensus-based analysis of crises,” added Christos Stylianides, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management. Most Critical Situations Worsening This year, the demand for humanitarian and resilience building assistance will further escalate as four countries are at risk of famine: South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and northeast Nigeria, the report warns.Other countries that require massive levels of assistance because of widespread food insecurity are Iraq, Syria (including refugees in neighbouring countries) Malawi and Zimbabwe. In the absence of immediate and substantive action not only to save people’s lives, but also to pull them back from the brink of famine, the food security situation in these countries will continue to worsen in coming months, according to the report.“The cost in hu...

Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - July 19, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: IPS World Desk Tags: Africa Armed Conflicts Combating Desertification and Drought Crime & Justice Featured Food & Agriculture Headlines Health Human Rights Humanitarian Emergencies Migration & Refugees Poverty & SDGs Projects TerraViva United Nations Source Type: news