UN Report Says Somalia Drought May Have Killed 43,000 In 2022

The research, led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, found that half the deaths in Somalia were children younger than five [File: Thomas Mukoya/Reuters]  

Al Jazeera: Somalia drought may have killed 43,000 in 2022, half under 5: UN  

After five consecutive failed rainy seasons, rate of fatalities could rise in first half of 2023, research finds. 

Somalia’s ongoing record drought may have killed as many as 43,000 people last year, and half of them were children under the age of five, according to a report released by the government and United Nations agencies. 

The research released on Monday marked the first attempt to estimate countrywide deaths in a crisis that experts warn is more severe than the country’s last major drought in 2017 and 2018.  

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WNU Editor: The UN report is here .... New study finds that 43 000 “excess deaths” may have occurred in 2022 from the drought in Somalia (WHO). 

UN Report Says Somalia Drought May Have Killed 43,000 In 2022  

 Report: 43,000 estimated dead in Somalia drought last year -- AP 

Somalia's drought killed 43000 last year, half under five - study -- Reuters  

Somalia drought may have killed 43,000 last year - UN -- BBC 

Report: 43,000 Died in 2022 Somalia Droughts -- VOA  

An estimated 43,000 people died in Somalia's drought last year, according to new report -- ABC News Australia  

43,000 died last year due to drought in Somalia, report estimates -- Axios

UN Warns 345 million People Are At Risk Of Starvation

 

UN News: ‘Tsunami of hunger’ could trigger multiple famines, Security Council warned 

As risks of conflict-induced famine and widespread food insecurity continue to rise, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator urged the Security Council on Thursday to address the interlinked crises, and work towards establishing lasting peace in affected regions.  

Somalia 

He spoke about his recent trip to Somalia, where more than 200,000 people are currently at risk of famine – a figure expected to reach 300,000 by November - “with millions more” on the verge of starvation. 

Recent humanitarian assessments have identified hundreds of thousands of people facing catastrophic levels of hunger, or phase 5 of the Integrated Phase Classification system – the ultimate, most devastating stage.  

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UN Warns 345 million People Are At Risk Of Starvation  

UN warns up to 345 million people marching toward starvation -- AP  

UN: 345 million at risk of starvation as Ukraine war worsens crisis -- Axios  

Extreme hunger has more than doubled in the world’s worst climate hotspots, says Oxfam -- Euronews  

Extreme hunger soaring in world’s climate hotspots, says Oxfam -- The Guardian  

UN warns 345 million people face starvation worldwide -- Al Jazeera

UN Report Says Nearly 20 Million Afghans Are Facing Acute Hunger

Women move food from a distribution site on the outskirts of Herat, Afghanistan in 2021. © WFP/Marco Di Lauro  

Afghanistan: Nearly 20 million going hungry  

Nearly 20 million people in Afghanistan – almost half the population – are facing acute hunger, humanitarians warned in a UN-backed report, published on Monday. 

The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis for the country also revealed a pocket of “catastrophic” levels of food insecurity in the northeast, affecting thousands. 

The analysis was conducted in January and February by partners who include the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), sister agency the World Food Programme (WFP), and many non-governmental organizations.  

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WNU Editor: The UN has updated its report .... 1.1 million Afghan children could face severe malnutrition (ABC News/AP).

Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Medvedev Says Russia Will Not Export Food To Detriment Of Own Market

RT: Russia will not export food to detriment of own market – top official  

Dmitry Medvedev blamed the looming global food crisis on the “cosmic cretinism” of the West 

Russia will not export food to the detriment of its own market, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council and former president Dmitry Medvedev said, adding that the West has to blame its own “cosmic cretinism” for the looming crisis.

In a lengthy Telegram post, Medvedev commented on recent statements by Western leaders about food security. As Russia and Ukraine are major wheat suppliers, accounting for some 30% of global exports, the prices have significantly grown since the launch of the Russian military offensive in the neighboring state and the subsequent sanctions imposed on Moscow by the US, the EU, the UK and some other Western nations. On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that fertilizers and food products from Russia should be available to the world markets without obstacles.  

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WNU Editor: The consensus on Russian media is that major parts of the world will be facing famine later this year .... Global famine likely this year – Putin aide (RT).  

Update: The U.S. is accusing Russia of using food as a weapon .... Blinken accuses Russia of using food as a weapon in Ukraine (Reuters).

UN Report Says Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia Facing Devastating Drought Conditions And Famine

People receive bags of relief grains at a camp for displaced persons in the Adadle district of the Somali region, Ethiopia, on Jan. 22. (Claire Nevill/World Food Programme/Reuters)  

Al Jazeera: UN: 13 million face hunger in Horn of Africa as drought worsens 

WFP says three consecutive failed rainy seasons have decimated crops and forced families from their homes. 

An estimated 13 million people in the Horn of Africa are facing severe hunger, the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) has said. 

Drought conditions have affected pastoral and farmer populations across southern and southeastern Ethiopia, southeastern and northern Kenya and south-central Somalia, with forecasts of below-average rainfall threatening to worsen already dire conditions in the coming months.  

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Update: Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia facing devastating drought conditions: UN (Reuters)  

WNU Editor: The UN report is here .... Hunger Hotspots: Four Countries Face Famine, UN Report Warns (World Food Program)

Two Million Children In Yemen Facing Hunger Or Starvation In 2021

A three-month-old baby is treated for severe acute malnutrition at the UNICEF-suppported Al-Sabeen Hospital in Sana’a, Yemen. © UNICEF/Ahmed Haleem 

Middle East Eye: Yemen: UN expects over two million children to go hungry or starve in 2021 

Over a million pregnant or breastfeeding women also expected to suffer from extreme malnutrition this year

About 400,000 children under the age of five are in danger of dying of acute malnutrition in war-torn and impoverished Yemen, UN agencies warned on Friday. 

The agencies said half of those in the most vulnerable age bracket - or 2.3 million small children - are projected to suffer from severe malnutrition this year. 

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 More News On A UN Report That Says Two Million Children In Yemen Are Facing Hunger Or Starvation In 2021 

Yemen: ‘Toxic mix’ imperils lives of under-fives with acute malnutrition -- UN News 

UN: Over 2 million Yemeni children may starve in 2021 -- AP 

UN: At least 400,000 Yemen children under 5 could die of starvation this year -- Middle East Monitor 400,000 children in Yemen at risk of dying from hunger, UN warns -- The Independent 

Half of Yemeni children under 5 face acute malnutrition: UN -- Al Jazeera

UN Warns Yemen Is On The Verge Of A 'Catastrophic' Famine

Yemen is in imminent danger of the worst famine in decades. Without immediate action, millions of lives may be lost.

I urge all those with influence to act urgently & request that everyone avoids taking actions that could make a dire situation worse. https://t.co/eRF1TbveV7

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) November 20, 2020

DW: UN: Yemen on the verge of a 'catastrophic' famine 

Yemen is in "imminent danger of the worst famine the world has seen for decades," UN Secretary-General Guterres has warned. 

He called for urgent action from the international community to "stave off catastrophe." The United Nations warned on Friday that war-torn Yemen is on the brink of experiencing the worst famine the world has seen in decades. 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement: "In the absence of immediate action, millions of lives may be lost." 

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 More News On The UN Warning That Yemen Is On The Verge Of A 'Catastrophic' Famine 

‘Act urgently’ to stave off catastrophic famine in Yemen: Guterres -- UN News 

U.N. chief says Yemen in imminent danger of famine, warns against unilateral moves -- Reuters 

Yemen staring at 'world's worst famine' -- AFP 

Yemen in ‘imminent danger’ of world’s worst famine in decades: UN -- Al Jazeera 

UN chief warns Yemen in imminent danger of famine -- Middle East Monitor

With Famine Threats Now Emerging, Global Food Prices Continue To Rise

Zero Hedge: Global Food Prices Rise As Famine Threat Emerges 

Food prices continue rising during the coronavirus pandemic, jeopardizing food security for tens of millions worldwide. 

On Thursday, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations said world food prices rose for the fourth consecutive month in September, led by surging prices for cereals and vegetable oils, reported Reuters. 

FAO's food price index, which tracks the international prices of the top traded food commodities (cereals, oilseeds, dairy products, meat, and sugar), averaged 97.9 in September versus a downwardly revised 95.9 in August. FAO's cereal price index jumped 5.1% in September and is 13.6% above its value one year earlier. 

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Update: World food price index rise 5% year-on-year in September - FAO (Reuters) 

WNU Editor: In another sign that food insecurity is becoming a global issue, this year's Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the World Food Program .... World Food Program wins Nobel Peace Prize as hunger surges (AP).

Venezuela On The Brink Of Famine

Bloomberg: Venezuela on Brink of Famine With Fuel Too Scarce to Sow Crops

(Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan farmer Roberto Latini fears his window to plant this year’s crop is quickly closing.

He’d hoped to seed corn, but couldn’t find the fuel to operate his trucks and equipment before the dry season ended. So he set his sights on rice, which can be planted even in heavy rains. Weeks later, fuel is still short and “as time goes by, it’s getting too late to sow,” Latini said.

After seven years of economic collapse, Venezuela’s crisis has entered a troubling new phase. In a nation that’s home to the world’s largest oil reserves, fuel shortages have grown so acute that fields are going bare.

Venezuela is now on the verge of famine, the International Crisis Group warns. More than half of the land used to grow vegetables last year won’t be replanted, according to farming federation Fedeagro. Corn production is expected to cover less than a quarter of national demand. And the tightening vice of U.S. sanctions threatens to strangle what little food and oil is getting in from abroad.

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WNU Editor: Venezuela was a lost cause before the pandemic. But they are not the only ones who are facing severe food shortages because of the pandemic .... Rising hunger threatens famines as coronavirus crashes economies, leaves crops to rot in fields (DW).

UN Warns The World Is On The Brink Of A 'Biblical' Famine

BBC: Coronavirus: World risks 'biblical' famines due to pandemic - UN

The world is at risk of widespread famines "of biblical proportions" caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the UN has warned.

David Beasley, head of the World Food Programme (WFP), said urgent action was needed to avoid a catastrophe.

A report estimates that the number suffering from hunger could go from 135 million to more than 250 million.

Those most at risk are in 10 countries affected by conflict, economic crisis and climate change, the WFP says.

The fourth annual Global Report on Food Crises highlights Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria and Haiti.

In South Sudan, 61% of the population was affected by food crisis last year, the report says.

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WNU Editor: An estimated three dozen countries are at high risk, affecting a quarter of a billion people .... UN warns of 'biblical' famines of a quarter of a billion people as coronavirus threatens to leave three dozen nations starving (Daily Mail).

More News On The UN Warning The World Is On The Brink Of A 'Biblical' Famine

UN food agency chief: World on brink of 'a hunger pandemic' -- ABC News/AP
UN warns of 'biblical' famine due to Covid-19 pandemic -- France 24
Global hunger could double due to COVID-19 blow: U.N. -- Reuters
U.N. warns of 'hunger pandemic' amid threats of coronavirus, economic downturn -- NBC
Coronavirus pandemic 'will cause famine of biblical proportions' -- The Guardian
UN food agency chief: World could see famines of "biblical proportions" within months -- CBS
World at Risk of 'Multiple Famines of Biblical Proportions' Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Top UN Official Says -- Newsweek
Coronavirus crisis could double number of people suffering acute hunger - UN -- The Guardian

Famine Has Almost Disappeared Outside Of War Zones

Women and children wait to be registered prior to a food distribution carried out by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Thonyor, Leer state, South Sudan, February 26, 2017. REUTERS/Siegfried Modola

Marian L. Tupy, Human Progress: How Humanity Won the War on Famine

Famines have all but disappeared outside of war zones.

Adequate nutrition is a basic requirement for human survival, yet food was always scarce. The prevalence of food shortages can be gleaned from the profusion of commonly used idioms, such as “feast today, famine tomorrow,” children’s stories, such as Hansel and Gretel, and scriptural references, such as the Biblical Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, in which Famine accompanies Pestilence, War and Death. In fact, the greatest famine of all time occurred between 1958 and 1962, when the Chinese communist ruler Mao Zedong used brute force to nationalize his country’s farmland, causing between 23 and 55 million deaths in the process.

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WNU Editor: There are exceptions to this trend. Venezuela comes to mind.

UN & EU Report: 124 million People Threatened By Famine

124 million people threatened by famine

AFP: UN and EU say food insecurity worsens as conflicts rage

The food security of around 124 million people worldwide was under acute threat at the end of last year, mostly because of worsening conflicts and drought, the UN and EU said Thursday.

The worst food crises in 2017 were in northeastern Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen and South Sudan, "where nearly 32 million people were food-insecure and in need of urgent assistance", the two organisations said in an annual report on food crises.

"Conflicts and climate-related shocks have recently sent levels of world hunger marching back up, following decades of steady decline."

The figure of 124 million is 15 percent higher than the number in 2016.

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WNU Editor: South Africa is on the list of being a country that is at risk of "food insecurity", but the government is still hell-bent on doing this .... South African President Says That There Will Be 'No Smash And Grab' Land Reform Even Though He Just Voted For It (March 2, 2018).

Yemen's Civil War Has Brought 7 Million People To The Brink Of Starvation (Update)

People queue to fill containers with water from a tank provided by UNICEF in Sana'a, Yemen. Some 14.5 million people in the country have no access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. Photo: UNICEF/Algabal2017

CBS 60 Minutes: When food is used as a weapon

How Yemen's civil war has brought 7 million people, many of them children, to the brink of starvation

This month Saudi Arabia tightened a stranglehold on the neighboring country of Yemen and 7 million people face starvation. The Saudi blockade is an escalation in Yemen's civil war. The United Nations says the war has now become a "man-made catastrophe." You've seen very little of this because the Saudis prevent reporters from reaching the war zone. Recently, we were ordered off a ship headed to Yemen. Days later the Saudis gave us permission to fly there but, after our equipment was loaded and our boarding passes issued, the Saudis closed the airspace so the plane couldn't take off. Even so, we have managed to get pictures out of Yemen to show you what the Saudi government does not want you to see. This will be hard to watch, but 27 million people in Yemen pray you will not turn away.

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WNU Editor: This is a sobering read .... mass starvation but there is food everywhere .... Yemen: Finding near-famine - and lots of food (Clive Myrie BBC)

More News On Reports That Yemen Is On The Brink Of Famine

Famine, cholera, and civilian casualties: The crisis in Yemen -- Axios
Yemen children are dying at a rate of 130 a day while Saudi-led blockade continues -- The Sydney Morning Herald
Yemen: 12 days into the blockade - "We're are running out of fuel, food, and medicines” -- ReliefWeb
Famine may be unfolding 'right now' in Yemen, warns UN relief wing -- UN News Centre
Millions of People May Die If Saudi Arabia Doesn't Allow Aid to Enter Yemen Immediately -- TIME
Saudi Arabia Faces Pressure To End Blockade As Crisis Worsens In Yemen -- NPR
Yemen is on the brink of a horrible famine. Here's how things got so bad. -- Washington Post

UN Report: South Sudan's Government Using Food As Weapon Of War

Reuters: Exclusive: South Sudan's government using food as weapon of war - U.N. report

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - South Sudan President Salva Kiir’s government is using food as a weapon of war to target civilians by blocking life-saving aid in some areas, United Nations sanctions monitors told the Security Council in a confidential report seen by Reuters on Friday.

During 2016 and 2017, the U.N. monitors said a military campaign by government troops in the northwestern town of Wau and surrounding areas in Western Bahr el-Ghazal targeted civilians on ethnic grounds and displaced more than 100,000.

“The government has during much of 2017 deliberately prevented life-saving food assistance from reaching some citizens,” the monitors wrote. “These actions amount to using food as a weapon of war with the intent to inflict suffering on civilians the government views as opponents to its agenda.”

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WNU Editor: This use of food as a weapon is devastating wide sections of the country .... More Than a Million People in South Sudan Are on the Brink of Starvation (Time)

UN Refugee Agency Warns Of Mass Starvation In 3 African Countries And Yemen (Updated)

Washington Post: Starving to death

Wars in four countries have left 20 million people on the brink

Our world produces enough food to feed all its inhabitants. When one region is suffering severe hunger, global humanitarian institutions, though often cash-strapped, are theoretically capable of transporting food and averting catastrophe.

But this year, South Sudan slipped into famine, and Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen are each on the verge of their own. Famine now threatens 20 million people — more than at any time since World War II. As defined by the United Nations, famine occurs when a region’s daily hunger-related death rate exceeds 2 per 10,000 people.

The persistence of such severe hunger, even in inhospitable climates, would be almost unthinkable without war.

Each of these four countries is in a protracted conflict. While humanitarian assistance can save lives in the immediate term, none of the food crises can be solved in the long term without a semblance of peace. The threat of violence can limit or prohibit aid workers’ access to affected regions, and in some cases, starvation may be a deliberate war tactic.

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More News On Four Countries Facing Famine

Millions across Africa, Yemen could be at risk of death from starvation – UN agency -- UN News Centre
Africa and Yemen face mass starvation and drought, UN refugee agency warns -- The Independent
UN warns of 'mass deaths' as famine threatens 20m in Yemen and three African states -- International Business Times
Risk of Death from Starvation Grows in Africa -- VOA
Famine in Somalia: Twice in six years? -- IRIN
Famine in South Sudan worsens as 290,000 people face extreme hunger -- AP
Millions in Yemen on brink of famine, situation ‘close to a breaking point,’ warns UN agency -- UN News Centre
Feed the starving? Guns are the true cause of hunger and famine -- Simon O'Connell, The Guardian
Famine’s frontiers: Why the UN is warning Africa and Yemen are at risk of starvation -- Globe and Mail/AP/Reuters

UN Warns Of Risk Of Mass Starvation In Four Countries

DW: UN: Risk of mass starvation rising rapidly in parts of east Africa, Nigeria and Yemen

An additional one million people are on the brink of famine in South Sudan, the UN says, as 20 million people in countries hit by poor harvests and conflict risk starvation. Aid pledges are well below targets.

The UN refugee agency on Tuesday warned the risk that millions of people could starve to death in South Sudan and Somalia and neighboring countries, as well as in Yemen and Nigeria, was growing.

Drought, failed harvests and ongoing conflicts have meant that food insecurity and acute malnutrition rates were rising in areas where 20 million people live, UNHCR said.

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More News On The UN Warning Of Risk Of Mass Starvation In Four Countries

UNHCR says death risk from starvation in Horn of Africa, Yemen, Nigeria growing, displacement already rising -- UNHCR
Risk of mass starvation rising rapidly in Africa, Yemen - U.N. -- Reuters
Risk of ‘mass’ starvation in four African countries, warns UN -- AFP
UN agency warns of risk of mass starvation in Africa, Yemen -- AP
Africa and Yemen face mass starvation and drought, UN refugee agency warns -- The Independent
Starvation stalks Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen -- Al Jazeera
Mass starvation threatens the lives of 20 million people in the Horn of Africa, U.N. warns -- VICE News

UN Report: 20 Million Face The Threat Of Starvation In Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria

BBC: UN: World facing greatest humanitarian crisis since 1945

The world is facing its largest humanitarian crisis since 1945, the United Nations says, issuing a plea for help to avoid "a catastrophe".

UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said that more than 20 million people faced the threat of starvation and famine in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria.

Unicef has already warned 1.4m children could starve to death this year.

Mr O'Brien said $4.4bn (£3.6bn) was needed by July to avert disaster.

"We stand at a critical point in history," Mr O'Brien told the Security Council on Friday. "Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the United Nations."

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More News On The UN Report Statig That 20 Million Face The Threat Of Starvation In Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria

UN aid chief urges global action as starvation, famine loom for 20 million across four countries -- UN News Centre
U.N.: 20M face starvation in largest humanitarian crisis since 1945 -- UPI
UN says world faces worst humanitarian crisis since 1945 with tens of millions starving -- ABC News Online
UN Aid Chief: 20 Million People in 4 Countries Face Starvation, Famine -- VOA
World facing 'largest humanitarian crisis' -- Straits Times
World Faces Largest Humanitarian Crisis Since 1945, U.N. Official Says -- NPR
20 million at risk of starvation in world's largest crisis since 1945, UN says -- CNN

Famine Declared In Parts Of South Sudan

The Guardian: Famine declared in South Sudan

‘Man-made’ food crisis threatens 100,000 people after war and a collapsing economy devastate agriculture in the country

Famine has been declared in parts of South Sudan, where UN agencies warned on Monday that war and a collapsing economy have left 100,000 people facing starvation.

A further 1 million people were classified as being on the brink of famine, according to the World Food Programme (WFP) and other UN bodies. Unimpeded humanitarian access was urgently needed to reverse “an escalating catastrophe”, they added.

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More News On Famine Being Declared In Parts Of South Sudan

Famine declared in region of South Sudan – UN -- UN News Centre
Famine declared in part of South Sudan by government and UN -- AP
Parts of South Sudan suffering famine: govt official -- Reuters
South Sudan declares famine in Unity State -- BBC
Famine declared in parts of South Sudan as 100,000 face starvation -- DW
Millions in South Sudan in Urgent Need of Food, UN Warns -- New York Times
Famine declared in South Sudan, with 100,000 people facing starvation -- Washington Post
Famine declared in South Sudan; U.N. says more than 5M at risk -- UPI

Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia Are Now Facing Famine

World to Rights

The Guardian: Famine looms in four countries as aid system struggles to cope, experts warn

Campaigners say tens of millions in urgent need in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia are in hands of an overwhelmed, outdated humanitarian network.

Famine is looming in four different countries, threatening unprecedented levels of hunger and a global crisis that is already stretching the aid and humanitarian system like never before, experts and insiders warn.

Tens of millions of people in need of food aid in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia are at the mercy not only of an overwhelmed aid system but also the protracted, mainly conflict-driven crises in their own countries, the humanitarian leaders say.

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WNU Editor: Parts of Zimbabwe should be on this list.

Are Mass Famines A Thing Of The Past?

Alex de Waal, New York Times: Is the Era of Great Famines Over?

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The worst drought in three decades has left almost 20 million Ethiopians — one-fifth of the population — desperately short of food. And yet the country’s mortality rate isn’t expected to increase: In other words, Ethiopians aren’t starving to death.

I’ve studied famine and humanitarian relief for more than 30 years, and I wasn’t prepared for what I saw during a visit to Ethiopia last month. As I traveled through northern and central provinces, I saw imported wheat being brought to the smallest and most remote villages, thanks to a new Chinese-built railroad and a fleet of newly imported trucks. Water was delivered to places where wells had run dry. Malnourished children were being treated in properly staffed clinics.

Compare that to the aftermath of the 1984 drought, which killed at least 600,000 people, caused the economy to shrink by nearly 14 percent and turned the name “Ethiopia” into a synonym for shriveled, glazed-eyed children on saline drips.

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WNU Editor: Alex de Waals analysis on how politics and war can produce a famine is spot on.