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UN relief envoy in Ethiopia to spotlight humanitarian impact of drought

UN relief envoy in Ethiopia to spotlight humanitarian impact of drought

Kjell M. Bondevik
The top United Nations relief official for the Horn of Africa, on a week-long mission to the drought-stricken region, today arrived in Ethiopia, where 1.7 million people are currently receiving food aid due to the humanitarian crisis affecting the country's pastoral and agro-pastoral areas.

The top United Nations relief official for the Horn of Africa, on a week-long mission to the drought-stricken region, today arrived in Ethiopia, where 1.7 million people are currently receiving food aid due to the humanitarian crisis affecting the country's pastoral and agro-pastoral areas.

“Ethiopia, like other countries in the Horn of Africa, is experiencing both drought and floods simultaneously,” Special Humanitarian Envoy for the Horn of Africa Kjell Magne Bondevik said while addressing the UN Country Team in Addis Ababa, the capital.

“However, I understand that these recent rains, while very much needed, have also increased the threat of disease and hampered access to the most needy,” he added.

More than 280,000 children have been affected by the emergency and alarming malnutrition levels continue to be reported.

Mr. Bondevik met with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to discuss ways to strengthen emergency management capacities and humanitarian relief so that they support longer-term solutions to food and livelihood insecurity.

“Ethiopia is known for its disaster response systems and in many ways is moving more quickly than some of it neighbours to address food security issues. Given the regional nature of this crisis in the Horn of Africa it is important to look at what lessons and expertise it can pass on,” he said.

“We discussed how Ethiopia could become a stronger player in the regional arena and contribute to solving the common problems faced by its neighbours related to extreme vulnerability to drought and threats to livelihoods,” he added.

Tomorrow he will go to Kereyu Gada village, 190 kilometres east of the capital to meet pastoralist elders from the most drought-affected areas of the country. It will be a unique opportunity for him to hear pastoralist leaders share their concerns on issues related to conflict, Government policies and the impact of drought and humanitarian aid on their livelihoods.

Ethiopia is the third leg of a mission that has already taken Mr. Bondevik, a former Norwegian Prime Minister appointed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan as Special Humanitarian Envoy in February, to Eritrea and Djibouti and will continue in Kenya and Somalia.