“Food security is also a concern as the drought is causing families to lose livestock used for food and livelihoods. In some areas, men are moving their livestock herds to look for water and grazing elsewhere, leaving women and children behind to fend for themselves,” said the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in a post on its website.
Indeed, according to the FAO, over 9 million animals have died as a result of the famine so far. This year, if the rains fail, there is a greater expectation that starvation could result. Furthermore, Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia are facing historic inflationary pressures according to a report last year from the World Food Progam which will amplify the impact of the drought.
While some projections suggest, the drought is the worst in the region in decades. A 2011-2012 famine in the region claimed between 50,000 to 250,000 lives, according to various estimates mostly in Somalia.
The international response to that famine was complicated by a number of geopolitical factors – including U.S. restrictions meant to prevent such aid from going to the Al-Qaeda-linked rebels complicated humanitarian assistance, though the administration of then President Barrack Obama relaxed some sanctions in late 2011 in response to the crisis.
Grain Drain By Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
This year the impact of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and its corresponding disruption of the global grain trade is being profoundly felt. Global humanitarian aid is also disrupted by the recent series of earthquakes in Syria and Turkey that have left 1.5 million people without homes and many without food.
“While it is obvious that geopolitical [issues] are complicating the situation, it is important for humanitarian organizations to continue to play a prominent role,” said Ambassador Salah S. Hammad, a senior human rights expert at the African Union, “in particular faith-based organizations maybe less hindered by such factors and play a critical role.”
Political challenges within the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region are also complicating the situation within Ethiopia. According to data compiled by the United Nations Human Rights Council in January, there are some 4.5 million refugees in the Horn of Africa region and an additional 11.6 million IDPs.
“We are facing one of critical humanitarian Africa has seen in 40 years, ravaging nations and leading to massive internal displacement, in particular in Somalia, and over 100,000 refugees have crossed borders in seeking aid,” said Mohamed Abdi Affey the UNHCR’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa at the Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum 2023.
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