East and Southern Africa

Save the children is warning that at least six million children in Ethiopia are facing critical food shortages as a result of the worst drought in 50 years.

Newly appointed CEO of Save the Children International Helle Thorning-Schmidt urges the international community to step up its support.

The worst drought to hit Somalia/Somaliland in several years will further destabilise an already fragile country unless the international community steps in to prevent a famine, warns Save the Children.

A blog by John Graham,Country Director, Save the Children Ethiopia

People from Denkarone and even surrounding areas fill their containers with precious water delivered by Save the Children

The international community has just three weeks to provide $245 million in emergency food aid to help prevent a potentially catastrophic escalation in severe acute malnutrition (SAM) cases in drought-afflicted parts of Ethiopia from the end of April when the main ‘hungry season’ begins.

Save the Children is calling on the United Nations to urgently raise the global alarm on Ethiopia’s worst drought in 50 years as global leaders, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, prepare to arrive in the nation’s capital for the 26^th African Union Summit starting on January 25^th.