Faced with the alarming deterioration of food insecurity in the Horn of Africa, the European Commission is to mobilise €60 million in further emergency aid to help vulnerable people who are threatened with famine in this region ravaged by prolonged drought.
This new envelope announced by the Commission on Friday 7 July "will support humanitarian partners already responding to the needs of the affected populations to step up emergency food assistance and treatment of malnutrition", European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides stated.
Around €40 million will be allocated for the most vulnerable in Somalia, while €15 million will be allocated to Ethiopia and €5 million to Kenya.
The funding, financed by ECHO (the Commission's humanitarian assistance service) will enable ECHO's partner organisations on the ground to step up emergency food assistance and the treatment of malnutrition. Projects addressing water supply, livestock protection and response to outbreaks will also be supported.
The drought is particularly serious in the south east of Ethiopia, in the north of Kenya and in Somalia, where a pre-famine alert has been launched. Around 17 million people are in urgent need of food to survive and are dependent on humanitarian aid. In addition, all three countries have been hit by a cholera outbreak.
This additional assistance brings EU humanitarian aid to the Horn of Africa region to nearly €260 millionhttp://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-1879_en.htm #_msocom_1" name="_msoanchor_1"> sincehttp://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-1879_en.htm #_msocom_2" name="_msoanchor_2"> the beginning of the year. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)