Statement of Samuel A. Worthington at the Mini-Summit on the Humanitarian Response to the Horn of Africa

Four million people are starving in Somalia, as the Horn of Africa continues to be ravaged by a combination of low rainfall, political instability, and high food prices. Roughly 750,000 of them are expected to perish if they do not get help soon. All together, there are 13 million people suffering from hunger in the Horn of Africa.

InterAction is an alliance of international NGOs and more than 50 of our members are responding to the crisis in the Horn of Africa, including groups such as Save the Children, World Vision and Catholic Relief Services.

After a nearly month-long recess, Congress—and thus, InterAction’s Weekly Update—rolled back into town this week.

InterAction President and CEO Samuel A. Worthington quoted in article.

In this hard-hit country, Relief International staff are busy saving lives and sustaining livelihoods by rehabilitating primary health care facilities, training health care professionals and providing essential nutrition services to those who need it most.

Cash, food and water programs will help thousands in desperate need. Agency calls for increased support from the U.S. and the international community.

East Africa is facing the worst drought since the 1950s. The drought has withered crops, killed cattle and led to massive increases in food prices.

With the danger of widespread famine in the Horn of Africa increasing daily, Lutheran World Relief is rushing $500,000 for an immediate response to this unfolding humanitarian crisis.

As more than ten million men, women and children face hunger and life-threatening health consequences from the worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in 60 years, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is responding with aid to relieve victims of the worst food shortage crisis in the world today. 

International Medical Corps’ Emergency Response Team (ERT) has deployed to the Dolo Ado refugee camps in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, where the worst drought crisis in 60 years is creating a potential humanitarian crisis.  

With the crisis in Somalia today declared a famine by the FSNAU and FEWSNET, the Somalia NGO Consortium (representing 78 agencies working in Somalia) urgently calls on the international community to act now to respond to this catastrophe.

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is rapidly expanding its current drought response to meet a vastly increased need for food and other aid in the Horn of Africa after two failed rainy seasons in the past 12 months.

CHF International is pleased to report that rain has, at long last, fallen in the far eastern regions of Ethiopia.

CARE scales up response, urges donors to ease restrictions on aid delivery.

An estimated 10 million people in the Horn of Africa are in urgent need of assistance as drought-like conditions threaten to push populations into a devastating nutritional crisis, warns humanitarian organization ACTION AGAINST HUNGER | ACF INTERNATIONAL.

The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos discuss the findings of the Mid-Year Review of the Humanitarian Appeals to Member States. The Mid-Year Review highlights the needs and priorities for the second half of 2011 and draws attention to the gaps in funding that require urgent attetion. 

The United Nations is expected to officially declare famine in parts of southern Somalia tomorrow (Wednesday, July 20), marking a new phase in a crisis that has affected the East Africa region.

InterAction News Release: Members of InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations working abroad, are responding to the massive humanitarian crisis occurring in the Horn of Africa. The UN is estimating that as many as 10 million people are struggling with food and water shortages, acute malnutrition and mass displacement.