The Red Cross opened giro 6251 in connection with severe drought and hunger in East Africa. In Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, millions of people need immediate help to survive, according to the Red Cross, the United Nations and other aid organizations. The situation continues to deteriorate every day.

The United Nations emergency relief agency withdrew at the end of April Rang the bell Because of the dangerous situation in the so-called Horn of Africa. According to the United Nations World Food Program, about 13 million people in parts of Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya are suffering from it. hunger†

“We must act quickly now to prevent an even greater famine,” said Dirk Segar, head of International Aid for the Red Cross from Ethiopia. “This is the fourth consecutive season of drought, and life-saving aid is needed.” The Red Cross says it needs more than 37 million euros to help the three countries.

“Now we really can’t close our eyes anymore,” a Red Cross spokesperson told NU.nl. According to the organization, it is difficult to draw attention to the “sleeping disaster” because the war in Ukraine and the Corona crisis also require attention.

During the years prior to the famine in the area, the Red Cross did not open the Jiro number. “We now have a specific amount of money that we need,” an emergency relief spokesperson explains.

Worst drought in 40 years

The region, which also includes Eritrea and Djibouti, is experiencing the worst drought in forty years† In the past three rainy seasons, rainfall has been so low that far more livestock than usual are spent and crops cannot grow. The drought is forcing people to move to other areas, causing conflict.

Many countries in North Africa, for example, depend on cheap wheat from Ukraine. Cereals are also essential to global food aid. Who is going to war in Ukraine? Dangerthe United Nations warned in early May.

More than ten million children, mainly in the Horn of Africa and South Asia, are at risk of severe acute malnutrition, UNICEF reported Tuesday. Ongoing drought, war in Ukraine and the post-COVID-19 pandemic are the main causes, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund. In addition, donations are declining worldwide, She said UNICEF v. NU.nl.

“Conflicts, climate and epidemics, a life-threatening combination”

Save the Children and Oxfam for Children are also concerned about the situation in East Africa, says Martin Bergwerf, humanitarian team coordinator at Save the Children Holland, in a conversation with this site.

“What makes the situation in the Horn of Africa so worrying at the moment is that the direct effects of conflict, climate change and the pandemic together are a life-threatening mixture in this region.”

Every 48 seconds someone in the area dies of starvation, according to Save the Children and Oxfam.

UN: Global food crisis looming

The United Nations says the number of people suffering from undernourishment worldwide has risen from 136 million to 276 million in the past two years. According to the organization, the global food crisis is imminent. This will mainly affect the poorest countries, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during a meeting of foreign ministers in New York on Wednesday.

The World Bank withdraws 30 billion dollars (more than 28.6 billion euros) to combat the worst hunger in the world. The World Bank plans to spend $12 billion on new projects and $18 billion on existing food and related projects that have already been approved but not yet disbursed.