Namibia heads for hunger

2004-03-10 12:31

Johannesburg - A third of the Namibian population - 640 000 people - will need food aid in the coming months because of bad weather and Aids, two United Nations (UN) agencies said on Wednesday.

"Tens of thousands of children and their families will face severe difficulties in the coming months unless international assistance is forthcoming," said Mike Sackett, World Food Programme (WFP) regional director for southern Africa.

Sackett, whose agency issued the statement with the UN Children's Fund (Unicef), called on the international community to help. He said his organisation needed about $5.8m.

"A swift response is needed to contain the crisis and give the government time to build up its capacity during this acute emergency," he said.

Namibia has a population of 1.8 million people.

"With its limited resources, the Namibian government plans to give food assistance to some 530 000 people."

He said the WFP would provide 8 000 tons of food to an additional 111 000 rural children and their families in the six worst affected northern districts.

"The WFP is appealing for $5.2m to fund its emergency operation in Namibia for the next six months," Sackett said.

- SAPA