SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Kenyan pastoralists from the local Gabra community walk among carcasses of some of their sheep and goats on the outskirts of Kambi ya Nyoka in Marsabit County on January 29, 2022. (Photo: Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty Images)
13 Million People Facing Climate-Driven Starvation in Horn of Africa: WFP
"Many of them are children," said one United Nations official, "who are at even greater risk due to one of the worst climate-induced emergencies of the past 40 years."
Feb 09, 2022
Severe drought driven by the climate emergency has pushed 13 million people in the Horn of Africa to the brink of starvation, the United Nations World Food Program reported Tuesday.
"We need to act now to prevent a catastrophe."
Three straight failed rainy seasons in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia have "decimated crops and caused abnormally high livestock deaths," while "shortages of water and pasture are forcing families from their homes and triggering conflict between communities," according to the World Food Program (WFP).
Of the 13 million people at risk of starving, "many of them are children, who are at even greater risk due to one of the worst climate-induced emergencies of the past 40 years," said Mohamed M. Fall, Eastern and Southern Africa regional director for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), U.N. News reports.
Elamu, an Ethiopian mother of seven whose family is suffering from the drought, said that "the livestock we have are in danger. Our livelihood depends on them, so we are doing everything we can to keep them healthy. Every morning we lead our cattle to graze at a pasture far away, but even that area is drying up."
Michael Dunford, WFP's regional director for Eastern Africa, warned that "harvests are ruined, livestock are dying, and hunger is growing as recurrent droughts affect the Horn of Africa. The situation requires immediate humanitarian action and consistent support to build the resilience of communities for the future."
According to WFP:
As needs across the Horn of Africa grow, immediate assistance is critical to avoid a major humanitarian crisis, like the one the world witnessed in 2011 when 250,000 people died of hunger in Somalia. This week WFP launches its Regional Drought Response Plan for the Horn of Africa, calling for $327 million to respond to immediate needs of 4.5 million people over the next six months and help communities become more resilient to extreme climate shocks.
Fall said that "the region cannot cope with yet another perfect storm" of the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and conflict.
"The needs are massive and urgent, and they are quickly outpacing the available funds to respond," he added. "We need to act now to prevent a catastrophe."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Severe drought driven by the climate emergency has pushed 13 million people in the Horn of Africa to the brink of starvation, the United Nations World Food Program reported Tuesday.
"We need to act now to prevent a catastrophe."
Three straight failed rainy seasons in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia have "decimated crops and caused abnormally high livestock deaths," while "shortages of water and pasture are forcing families from their homes and triggering conflict between communities," according to the World Food Program (WFP).
Of the 13 million people at risk of starving, "many of them are children, who are at even greater risk due to one of the worst climate-induced emergencies of the past 40 years," said Mohamed M. Fall, Eastern and Southern Africa regional director for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), U.N. News reports.
Elamu, an Ethiopian mother of seven whose family is suffering from the drought, said that "the livestock we have are in danger. Our livelihood depends on them, so we are doing everything we can to keep them healthy. Every morning we lead our cattle to graze at a pasture far away, but even that area is drying up."
Michael Dunford, WFP's regional director for Eastern Africa, warned that "harvests are ruined, livestock are dying, and hunger is growing as recurrent droughts affect the Horn of Africa. The situation requires immediate humanitarian action and consistent support to build the resilience of communities for the future."
According to WFP:
As needs across the Horn of Africa grow, immediate assistance is critical to avoid a major humanitarian crisis, like the one the world witnessed in 2011 when 250,000 people died of hunger in Somalia. This week WFP launches its Regional Drought Response Plan for the Horn of Africa, calling for $327 million to respond to immediate needs of 4.5 million people over the next six months and help communities become more resilient to extreme climate shocks.
Fall said that "the region cannot cope with yet another perfect storm" of the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and conflict.
"The needs are massive and urgent, and they are quickly outpacing the available funds to respond," he added. "We need to act now to prevent a catastrophe."
Severe drought driven by the climate emergency has pushed 13 million people in the Horn of Africa to the brink of starvation, the United Nations World Food Program reported Tuesday.
"We need to act now to prevent a catastrophe."
Three straight failed rainy seasons in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia have "decimated crops and caused abnormally high livestock deaths," while "shortages of water and pasture are forcing families from their homes and triggering conflict between communities," according to the World Food Program (WFP).
Of the 13 million people at risk of starving, "many of them are children, who are at even greater risk due to one of the worst climate-induced emergencies of the past 40 years," said Mohamed M. Fall, Eastern and Southern Africa regional director for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), U.N. News reports.
Elamu, an Ethiopian mother of seven whose family is suffering from the drought, said that "the livestock we have are in danger. Our livelihood depends on them, so we are doing everything we can to keep them healthy. Every morning we lead our cattle to graze at a pasture far away, but even that area is drying up."
Michael Dunford, WFP's regional director for Eastern Africa, warned that "harvests are ruined, livestock are dying, and hunger is growing as recurrent droughts affect the Horn of Africa. The situation requires immediate humanitarian action and consistent support to build the resilience of communities for the future."
According to WFP:
As needs across the Horn of Africa grow, immediate assistance is critical to avoid a major humanitarian crisis, like the one the world witnessed in 2011 when 250,000 people died of hunger in Somalia. This week WFP launches its Regional Drought Response Plan for the Horn of Africa, calling for $327 million to respond to immediate needs of 4.5 million people over the next six months and help communities become more resilient to extreme climate shocks.
Fall said that "the region cannot cope with yet another perfect storm" of the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and conflict.
"The needs are massive and urgent, and they are quickly outpacing the available funds to respond," he added. "We need to act now to prevent a catastrophe."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy