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UN emergency fund earmarked to help people affected by drought in Ethiopia

Xinhua, November 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN humanitarian chief, Stephen O'Brien, on Thursday released 17 million U.S. dollars from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support people affected by the worst drought in Ethiopia in decades, a UN spokesman told reporters here.

"The El Nino global climactic event has wreaked havoc on Ethiopia's summer rains," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here. "This comes on the heels of failed spring rains, and has driven food insecurity, malnutrition and water shortages in affected areas of the country."

O'Brien said that "a timely response to the emergency is critical, and that if we don't act today, we face an even graver situation tomorrow, with more immense needs in 2016."

The number of people who need food assistance in East Africa is forecast to increase to more than 22 million at the start of next year, with 15 million of those in Ethiopia alone. Enditem