Ethiopia faces food crisis
2005-05-05 08:29
Addis Ababa - About 3.8 million Ethiopians, some 700 000 more than previously estimated, urgently need food assistance this year to prevent starvation and possible death, aid agencies said on Wednesday.
Recipients of food aid in Ethiopia, one of world's most impoverished nations, have grown in number by 687 470 and need immediate help, the agencies said, issuing a joint appeal for emergency assistance.
"Three hundred thousand children die every year of malnutrition in Ethiopia, it is a tsunami every year," said Bjorn Lanjqvist, the country director of the UN Children's Agency (Unicef).
Already this year, between 80 000 and 170 000 malnourished children are in imminent danger of dying from hunger, the aid groups said, revising an earlier estimate of money needed by nearly $50m.
Drought conditions, recent flooding and the delay in implementing a food-for-work program have all contributed to the increase in the current aid budget calculated in December to $320m from $271m.
Less than 50% of the new total has yet been disbursed, the agencies said.
In appeals issued last month, Unicef warned of an alarming rise in child malnutrition rates in southern Ethiopia, where it said deaths from hunger would begin unless urgent action is taken.
- AFP