famine

European Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs Kristalina Georgieva endorsed today a Charter, launched by leading agencies, to make deadly food crises like the one gripping East Africa a thing of the past.

Nairobi: African singers, TV personalities, activists and citizens have come together today to call on people across Africa to use social media this weekend in a day of action to end hunger in the continent.

In the last year extreme weather events shocked global markets contributing to soaring wheat prices and imperiling food security in many parts of the world, according to research compiled by Oxfam at the start of the Durban climate talks.

In response to the FSNAU announcement that areas of Somalia have shown some improvement, Oxfam's Country Director for Somalia, Senait Gebregziabher, said:

As more heads of state publicly support the military action in Somalia, Oxfam called on international leaders to refocus on addressing the crippling famine in the country.

The Sahel Working Group, a consortium of International NGOs, today launched a report evaluating the responses to the 2005 and 2010 food crises, concluding that the Sahel is “in a state of permanent crisis” requiring smarter and earlier investment in the region.

This report by the Sahel Working Group discusses the chronic food and nutrition crisis across countries in the Sahel.

The new escalation in fighting and insecurity along the Kenya-Somalia border risks increasing the suffering for civilians already devastated by drought and conflict, international agency Oxfam said today, three months since famine was announced in Somalia.

Kirsten Hagon, Oxfam’s Head of Office in New York said: