More humanitarian aid needed for Ethiopia as El Nino hits horn of Africa.

Jan 07, 2016 The World Food Programme recently warned that humanitarian needs in Ethiopia will increase due to the El Nino weather phenomenon.

Commenting on the situation, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General in Ethiopia said:

“The World Food Programme is saying today that humanitarian needs in Ethiopia have tripled since the beginning of 2015 – as severe drought in some regions, exacerbated by the strongest El Nino in decades, caused successive harvest failures and widespread livestock deaths. Out of 10 million people now requiring urgent humanitarian assistance, the World Food Programme is expected to support the government in meeting the needs of 7.6 million people in 2016. Yet so far, less than 5 percent of the resources required for the first six months of the year are available”

In response, the Government of Ethiopia unveiled a comprehensive plan to respond to the immediate needs of those most affected, with the international community pledging $300 million.