Ethiopia: Drought risks developing into a humanitarian catastrophe, aid agency warns

ESAT News (June 2, 2017)

Save the Children warned Friday that drought in Ethiopia could risk developing into a catastrophe if no immediate action is taken to avert the crisis.

“The drought in southern Ethiopia has been going from bad to worse and risks developing into a humanitarian catastrophe if action is not taken immediately,” said John Graham, Country Director for Save the Children in Ethiopia.

The children’s aid agency says the month of May has failed to bring any reprieve to drought-ravaged parts of Ethiopia, with the humanitarian situation threatening to unravel quickly if urgent action is not taken.

The agency said food supplies are already on the brink of depletion due to funding shortfalls, with need rapidly outstripping supply and donors’ funding failing to keep pace.

“Across the country at least 7.8 million people – including 4 million children – have been hit by drought and are struggling to get enough food and water to feed themselves and their livestock. This number could now rise further, with authorities already carrying out an assessment of the situation.”

“The drought in southern Ethiopia has been going from bad to worse and risks developing into a humanitarian catastrophe if action is not taken immediately,” said John Graham, Country Director for Save the Children in Ethiopia.

Out of the $948 million needed to help the drought victims, only around 50 percent has so far been funded., the agency said.