Africa's landmark drought relief framework awaits adoption

A draft framework that aims to better coordinate Africa's drought relief efforts has been finalized in Namibia's capital Windhoek and awaits adoption by African Union heads of state on Friday.

Delegates to Africa's first ever drought conference agreed that a core team will be set up to implement the Strategic Framework for Drought Management and Enhancing Resilience to Drought in Africa for a year, while a continental Trust Fund for Africa that will run for three years will be formed.

The draft framework will be tabled before a meeting of relevant portfolio ministers Thursday before it is handed over to the AU heads of state.

During the proceedings Wednesday, the delegates declared that synergies among regional economic groupings, private sector partners and civil society organizations should be increased to address drought, land degradation and desertification by implementing the framework.

Southern African countries are experiencing prolonged drought and United Nations agency OCHA estimated that 32 million people will be food insecure between June 2016 and March 2017. Endit