More than 43 million people need humanitarian aid in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, alarmed the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The three Horn of Africa countries have been affected by a prolonged drought, the Fund said in a statement released on Friday, noting that of these more than 43 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, about 32 million are in dire need. acute food insecurity.
“The devastation wrought by the 2020-2023 drought will be felt for years,” UNFPA warned, saying more than 2.7 million people have been displaced across the three countries and more than 13 million heads of cattle died”.
While recent rains have brought some relief to many areas, they also bring new threats, including further population displacements and increased risks of disease, livestock loss and crop damage, the Fund said, highlighting warning of flooding expected later this year.
According to the statement, women and young girls are those who suffer the most from the effects of the drought as they have to find means of subsistence, take care of their families and protect themselves from sexual violence.
In addition, they are forced to bear the burden of extreme weather events caused by a climate crisis for which they are not responsible, UNFPA stressed.