United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) projects that up to 20 million people in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea will need water and food assistance in the next six months as the region reels from one of the worst climate-induced emergencies of the past 40 years.
“Many of them are children, who are at even greater risk due to one of the worst climate-induced emergencies of the past 40 years. The region cannot cope with yet another perfect storm, combining COVID-19, conflict and climate change,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern & Southern Africa Mohamed M Fall.
Fall was speaking at a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on Tuesday, during which he pointed out that three consecutive dry seasons had led to severe water scarcity in the Eastern African region, killing livestock and crops, displacing populations, and increasing the risk of disease and severe malnutrition.
“Right now, nearly 5.5 million children in these four countries are threatened by acute malnutrition and an estimated 1.4 million by severe acute malnutrition. UNICEF fears this number will increase by 50 per cent if rains don’t come in the next three months,” he added.
He also noted that many families had taken extreme measures in efforts to survive, and in many cases they left their homes, which puts children on the move particularly at risk.
Fall stressed his message that many children will die if the world does not come together to help the situation.
“But we need financial support urgently. UNICEF’s appeal is now at 123 million U.S. dollars for these four countries alone to cover life-saving needs for the most vulnerable till the end of June 2022, to prevent a disaster for children and their families,” he said.
“Their lives and futures depend on it. We must act quickly. We must act together. And we must act across sectors.”
Follow our socials Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Google News.
