Nearly 8 million Ethiopians are affected by severe drought, reports the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and 2 million more might be affected if conditions remain dry. An outbreak of widespread famine once again threatens the lives of millions of Ethiopians, despite advance efforts by the United States and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) to stop hunger in the African nation.
“The situation in some areas — especially those along the border with Somalia — is dire,” said Nigel Marsh, World Vision’s regional spokesman who just returned after spending a week in Ethiopia. “Signs of an emerging disaster — such as children on the brink of death — are evident in many areas.” The late arrival of rainfall and ongoing arid conditions have nearly wiped out Ethiopia’s secondary growing season. Officials estimate only 1 percent of the normal crops for the “belg” growing season — from February to September — were actually planted, signaling a total failure for that season’s crop production. The lack of food and three successive years without precipitation have led many Ethiopians to leave drought-inflicted areas in search of food and water.
Food from the United States and NGOs is currently pouring into Ethiopia. USAID reports that 131,346 tons of food aid had arrived in Ethiopia as of April 24, and that more than 250,000 tons more will be delivered by the end of June.
An estimated $7.6 million worth of non-food relief, such as emergency water, sanitation, nutrition and health services has been delivered to Ethiopia since the beginning of 2000 by USAID.
An additional 4,700 metric tons were shipped to Ethiopia with the help of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC). Ministries like CRWRC have functioned within the country since the last famine 15 years ago and say that progress has been made; in 1997 farmers in Ethiopia managed to grow a surplus of grain, but the drought has eradicated those stores and other economic advances the country has made since 1985.
World Concern, an international Christian relief organization currently working in Ethiopia, says the brunt of the famine is the eastern Ogaden region.
One aid organization has reported that, on average, a child is dying about every two hours in the Ogaden. World Concern reports feeding more than 75,000 people in the capital city of Addis Ababa, many of whom have left their villages due to the lack of food and water reserves.
While the aid continues to pour into the country, other obstacles, such as clean water, adequate fuel and veterinary services are slowing the distribution process. Geography and transportation are also presenting a problem to relief efforts. Since Ethiopia is a landlocked country, aid must be trucked in from ocean ports in Somalia — ports that are inadequately equipped to handle a large-scale operation.
Relief agencies also report that the roads the trucks must travel are in extremely poor condition. The upcoming rainy season, which begins in June, will only make the conditions worse for land travel.
Complicating relief efforts further is Ethiopia’s fragile political situation. Ethiopia is involved in a two-year-long border war with neighbor Eritrea, costing several thousand lives and many precious resources.
Eritrea is also suffering under a drought; an estimated 580,000 to 850,000 Eritreans are in danger of malnutrition.
A seven-member delegation from the United Nations, led by U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke, is currently facilitating treaty negotiations between the two countries, but the two parties are bitterly opposed.
Both the Ethiopian and Eritrean delegations have accused each other of undermining negotiations with unreasonable demands. The framework of a tentative peace accord, proposed by the Organization of African Unity, has been agreed upon by both sides, but the details of the accord have yet to be determined. (EP)
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