Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 17 April 2019 - Horn of Africa
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Horn of Africa
And, turning to the Horn of Africa, around 23.4 million people are currently food insecure in the Greater Horn — including 10.7 million people across Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda’s Karamoja region — that’s according to the Food Security and Nutrition Working Group, which is a regional platform co-chaired by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
At a press conference in Nairobi earlier today, the Group said that although the food insecure population is lower than numbers observed during the 2017 drought, there is a high risk of a worsening situation due to the forecast rainfall deficits and a delay in the start of the March-to-May long rains.
WFP (World Food Programme) says it is closely monitoring conditions in case of a new regional drought and is coordinating with governments and humanitarian responders. The agency is ready to respond if needed but would rely on increased donor support to do so. More information available online.