Source: http://europa.eu
European Commission has announced to send over five million euros in aid to the world’s largest refugee center. This means European Commission’s aid for drought crisis in the Horn of Africa has now reached about €70 million mark. There are over ten million people who are in serious need of aid in drought-hit Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti. The aid is being used for feeding and treating malnourished children, protecting livestock and providing water to people.
About €5.67 million amount is being provided to address the rising number of refugees arriving at Dadaab camps in Kenya. More than 60,000 Somalis have reached at Dadaab camps since the start of this year. Somalis are fighting the biggest struggle against hunger, thirst and conflict for the past few months. The population at three camps – Ifo, Hagadera and Dagahaley – in Dadaab has reached to about 370,000.
“Severe drought is making tough living conditions unbearable, adding new pains to those caused by conflicts and erratic weather,” said Kristalina Georgieva, European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response.
“Dadaab is just the starkest reminder that the spectre of hunger has returned to Africa. We are acting today to respond to one of the most urgent problems, but we are preparing to commit more resources to the relief operation. What we are witnessing in the Horn of Africa is now considered to be the worst food crisis in the world today.”
The Horn of Africa has been harshly affected by repeated man-made and natural calamities, leaving populations highly vulnerable to drought and disease outbreaks. The region is presently facing two consecutive seasons of below average rainfall with more than 25% lower precipitation rates in pastoral areas in Somalia, Northern and Eastern Kenya, Southern and Eastern Ethiopia and Djibouti.
Droughts account for 95% of the death toll caused by natural disasters in Africa. Protracted conflicts, major structural problems and a lack of basic services mean that inhabitants are poorly equipped to cope. Malnutrition and child mortality are among the greatest humanitarian concerns in this region.
Last year the Commission allocated €96 million in humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people in the Horn of Africa.
