Countries pledge additional aid to avert famine in the Horn of Africa
A group of countries pledged on Wednesday to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in additional support to the Horn of Africa, at a time when the alarm was raised about drought in the region and looming famine in Somalia and other countries.
The Horn of Africa is experiencing the worst drought in 40 years, and experts say it is close to recording the fifth season of no rain.
The United Nations warns that parts of Somalia will witness famine in the coming months.
These estimates are even sharper than in 2011, when famine killed more than a quarter of a million Somalis, half of whom were children.
"Now is the time for action," said Somali Special Envoy on Drought Abdirahman Abdul Shakur, at an event in New York during the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.
He urged world leaders to make generous pledges.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that people in the Horn of Africa are on the verge of a "humanitarian catastrophe".
The head of the US Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, announced that Washington will provide an additional 151 million dollars to meet the needs in Somalia.
At Wednesday's event, Italy, the United Kingdom and Qatar also pledged additional funding to respond to the crisis, but the United Nations Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, noted that more money is needed.
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