According to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), there are 2,200 people at risk of starvation in the ravaged corners ofAfricaincreasing to millions.
Kenya, Somalia andEthiopia have experienced the worst droughts in 40 years after years of inadequate rainfall, making them the most severely affected regions. Aid groups say the situation resembles a famine.
His four unprecedented rainy season failures have killed millions of livestock, destroyed crops and displaced 1.1 million people from their homes in search of food and water.
"The world needs to act now to protect the most vulnerable communities from the threat of famine spreading in the Horn of Africa," he said. said WFP Executive Director David. Beasley said on Friday.
“There is no end in sight to this drought crisis, so we must get the resources needed to save lives and prevent people from falling into catastrophic levels of hunger and starvation.
In early 2022, the United Nations WFP warned that 13 million people in three countries were facing hunger. , urged donors to open their wallets immediately. much needed time.
But the flow of funds has been slow, humanitarians said, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, among other high-profile crises from the Horn disaster.
The Russian aggression also sent world food and fuel prices skyrocketing, making aid delivery more expensive.
By mid-year, when rains stopped again in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia, desperately needed numbers surged to 20 million and warned of famine. has become more urgent.WFP says at least 22 million people could face hunger by September.
"This number will continue to rise and the severity of hunger will become even more severe if the next rainy season fails and the most vulnerable do not receive it." Humanitarian relief," WFP said in a statement.
"Needs will remain high until 2023, with famine a serious risk, especially in Somalia." Almost half of the 15 million people suffer from severe hunger.
WFP said he needed $418 million over the next six months to help with the worst.
Last month, the United States announced that it would contribute her $1.2 billion to emergency food and malnutrition treatment to avert famine in the Horn of Africa, giving other countries more to do more. urged to do so.
