UN: Famine threatens drought-devastated parts of Horn of Africa
June 1, 2022, 8:35 am

UN: Famine threatens drought-devastated parts of Horn of Africa

UN: Drought in the Horn of Africa has killed more than 1.5 million livestock and drastically cut cereal production/Pixabay

The threat of famine looms in parts of the Horn of Africa due to suffering from a devastating drought that has killed millions of livestock in the region, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday (May 31).

"Meteorological and humanitarian agencies are warning of the threat of starvation following four consecutive failed rainy seasons in parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia," said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Four failed rainy seasons are a climatic event not seen in at least 40 years.

With Somalia facing the risk of famine in six areas, UN humanitarian partners are transitioning from drought response to famine prevention, said OCHA's latest situation report. It wants to target the most vulnerable populations and develop a Famine Prevention Plan.

A UN spokesman said on Tuesday that the Ethiopia-Somalia drought has uprooted 845,000 people from their homes and killed more than 1.5 million head of livestock in Ethiopia alone (File photo: Pixabay)

The drought devastates livelihoods and drives a sharp increase in food, water, and nutrition insecurity, OCHA said. Some 3.6 million livestock died in Kenya and Ethiopia, and in the worst-affected areas of Somalia, about a third of the livestock perished since the middle of last year.

UN spokesman: Horn of Africa drought affects 18 mln people

About 16.7 million people face high acute food insecurity, and the number could increase to 20 million by September, the agencies warn. It has reached the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) Acute Food Insecurity Level 3+. More than 80,000 suffer extreme hunger at IPC 5, the worst phase.

OCHA said that severe acute malnutrition is rising across the three countries, posing an immediate threat to the lives of children in drought-affected areas.

FAO says desert locust upsurge in Horn of Africa ends

Meteorological experts forecast a substantial risk that the next rainy season could fail, leading to an unprecedented situation from October to December.

The office said: "The United Nations and our humanitarian partners have reached 6.5 million people in drought-affected areas across the three countries with assistance including food, water, nutrition, and health services."

"The response needs to be further scaled up to save lives and livelihoods in the months to come. We call on donors to urgently support partners to take swift action."

Source: xinhua

Joe Biden: US to give Ukraine more advanced rocket systems 21 dead, around 21 missing after hurricane Agatha hits Mexico

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”