22 October 2009
The UN estimates that over 15 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance across East Africa.
The worst drought for a decade has parched large areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Eritrea and has increased acute malnutrition rates in children under five across the region.
DFID recently announced £39 million of additional humanitarian support, bringing our total contribution this year to £83 million. This will help supply:
This support will be delivered by the World Food Programme, UNICEF, the Red Cross and other non government agencies such as Oxfam and Save the Children.
Statement in response to Oxfam's report "Tackling disasters in Ethiopia 25 years after the famine"
A DFID spokesperson said:
"Our approach has always been to balance the need for emergency food aid with a long term strategy to tackle the root causes of food shortage in Ethiopia.
"In addition to providing food to meet people's immediate needs, we have invested over £100 milion this year alone to deliver major improvements in the country's health, education, water and agriculture services . DFID also funds a programme which has helped 7 million of the most vulnerable people to lift themselves out of poverty by build ing a sustainable livelihood.
"We are also working with the Ethiopian Government to develop a new Disaster Risk Management Policy.
"There is still more to do and that is why we will continue to have a balanced approach that helps people both now and for the future."
Please contact the press office 020 7023 0600 if you require any additional information.
"25 years after the famine in Ethiopia that killed over a million people, there is once again a growing drought and conflict-related humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa."
Read Douglas Alexander's statement on the growing crisis in Ethiopia which threatens to become a catastrophe.
DFID today announced £39 million more in humanitarian assistance for the Horn of Africa.
Experts say the area already faces a chronic food shortage which, without an adequate international response, could lead to a humanitarian crisis.
£30 million will go to Ethiopia where which faces a very real threat of food shortages. Around 14 million people – around one in six – struggle to feed themselves. The funding is additional to £24 million emergency support already provided to Ethiopia in 2009.
An extra £9 million is being provided to help people in Kenya and Somalia. In Kenya, £5 million will go to UNICEF and other organisations to help those who need it most, especially acutely malnourished children. In Somalia, £4 million will also go towards helping the most vulnerable.
Read more
Bookmark with:
What are Bookmarks?
UN estimates say 15 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian aid across the Horn of Africa in the countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Eritrea