A three-day visit to Ethiopia by a top United Nations humanitarian official has begun. The official is scheduled to hold talks with the Ethiopian government officials, relief groups and individuals affected by the country’s drought and food crisis.
John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, travelled to Ethiopia’s Konso special Woreda in the Southern Nations Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) today to review humanitarian efforts. He met with the most affected citizens in the region.
It is reported that over 75,000 Ethiopian children have been directly affected by the drought and are at risk of severe acute malnutrition. Throughout Ethiopia, 4.6 million people receive emergency food aid. A shortage of emergency resources, including ready to use therapeutic food (RUTF), emergency relief food and other critical supplies, is worsening an already terrible situation
Earlier today, Mr. Holmes launched the liaison office between the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the African Union, which will be headed by Kazimiro Rudolf-Jocondo.
During his visit, the UN humanitarian chief will also meet with the Deputy Prime Minister Ato Addisu Legesse and travel to Ethiopia’s Somali Region to verify the ongoing humanitarian efforts there.
