The European Commission is mobilizing a further €50 million in emergency humanitarian funding to help the people hit by drought in the Horn of Africa.
With many in the region relying on livestock herding and subsistence farming, the prolonged drought has devastating consequences on food availability and livelihoods.
The additional funding brings total EU humanitarian aid to the region to €366.5 million since 2018, said a statement issued by the Commission on Thursday.
“The EU is stepping up its support for the people affected by a prolonged drought in the Horn of Africa.
During my several visits to countries in the region, I have seen firsthand how much climate extremes are affecting this part of Africa.
According to the statement, the funding from this aid package will support drought-affected communities in Ethiopia (€20 million), Somalia (€25 million), Kenya (€3 million) and Uganda (€2 million).
A spell of drought, following 2 poor rain seasons in a row, has put almost 13 million people in need of emergency food assistance across the region.
More than 4 million children are estimated to be acutely malnourished, in addition to around 3 million malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women.
MG/abj/APA