Photo : Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, AP
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, AP
IN BRIEF
by Anu Maria Joseph
Zimbabwe: UN’s WFP planning food relief for 700,000 people
On 13 September, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) official said that it was planning a food relief programme for 700,000 people in Zimbabwe who are affected by a poor harvest and the Ukraine war. WFP told the Reuters agency that it is working with the Zimbabwe’s government to provide food aid for 3.8 million people. The government said that the staple maize harvest would fall by nearly half this year, to 1.56 million tonnes from last year's 2.72 million tonnes due to failed consecutive rainy seasons. Annually, the country requires 2.2 million tonnes of maize for human and livestock consumption. ("UN’s WFP plans food relief for 700,000 people in Zimbabwe," Al Jazeera, 13 September 2022)
Ethiopia: at least 10 died in air strikes in Tigray
On 13 September, Al Jazeera reported, a hospital said that at least 10 people have been killed in a series of airstrikes in Mekelle. The TPLF has accused the Ethiopian military for the attack. There were no responses to the air strikes by the Ethiopian government. The attack came a day after the TPLF announced that it is willing to hold peace talks led by the African Union. However, the Ethiopian government, which has long insisted on peace talks brokered by the AU, have not yet responded to the TPLF’s announcements. ("Ten dead in second day of air raids in Ethiopia’s Tigray region," Al Jazeera, 13 September 2022)
Somalia: Half million children in the country faces worst famine, says UNICEF
On 13 September, the UN’s children agency said that more than 500,000 children in Somalia who are under five are expected to suffer severe acute malnutrition and risk death from famine. James Elder, spokesperson for the UN’s children’s agency UNICEF said: “We’ve got more than half a million children facing preventable death. It’s a pending nightmare.” In August, the UN has warned that parts of Somalia will be facing famine in coming months as the Horn of Africa region faces severe drought followed by a fifth failed consecutive rainy season. ("Half a million Somali children face hunger in world's worst famine this century," Reuters, 13 September 2022)