In a televised address, President Hichilema highlighted the severity of the situation, caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon. He revealed that nearly half of Zambia’s 20 million citizens, a nation grappling with poverty, are affected. Over 6 million Zambians require immediate humanitarian aid.
“This year’s exceptionally low rainfall has resulted in an unprecedented drought,” President Hichilema explained. “The agricultural sector has been devastated, with crops and livestock severely impacted.”
Despite declaring the drought a national disaster in February, Zambia has only secured $51 million of the $940 million needed.
“On behalf of the Zambian government and its people,” President Hichilema said solemnly, “we urge the international community, our domestic partners, the private sector, faith-based organizations, and civil society to provide financial and material support to mitigate the devastating consequences of this drought.”
The El Niño phenomenon, which began in 2023, typically leads to a one-year increase in global temperatures. Currently, it’s causing catastrophic droughts across Southern Africa, with Zimbabwe and Malawi also appealing for international aid.
AFP/fss/abj/APA