Canada has announced that it is providing over $58.1 million in new funding for humanitarian assistance to help address the life-saving crisis caused by drought in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. The region is currently experiencing its worst drought on record, with below-average rainfall for more than two years. This crisis is further compounded by existing challenges such as conflict, insecurity, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which worsen the vulnerability of affected populations. Recent assessments indicate that at least 43 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia urgently require humanitarian assistance.
Canada’s funding will support gender-responsive humanitarian efforts, including provisions for food, nutrition, healthcare, safe water and sanitation, and protection services. The allocated funds will be distributed to various recipients, including UN agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and non-governmental organizations. Additionally, Canada’s support will contribute to the overall coordination and logistics of the humanitarian response in both Ethiopia and Somalia.
Minister Sajjan emphasized the gravity of the situation caused by climate change and other factors, which have resulted in catastrophic conditions for millions of people in the Horn of Africa. Canada’s support aims to address the urgent needs of the region’s most vulnerable individuals and provide vital assistance in the face of this crisis. By allocating $52.3 million for Ethiopia, $38 million for Somalia, and $8.5 million for Kenya in 2023, Canada demonstrates its unwavering dedication to supporting the affected regions.
The Horn of Africa has endured over two years of inadequate rainfall, leading to significant crop losses, widespread livestock deaths, and increased levels of malnutrition and disease. The early months of 2023 witnessed an unprecedented sixth consecutive failed rainy season. This historic drought continues to have a devastating impact on vulnerable pastoralist and agro-pastoralist populations, particularly women and marginalized groups, in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.
Experts stress that the hunger crisis in Somalia and Ethiopia highlights the urgent need for climate adaptation funding. In 2016, international donors failed to provide funds for infrastructure development and climate adaptation, leaving the region vulnerable to the present drought. The crisis in the Horn of Africa underscores the necessity for a paradigm shift in the humanitarian aid system, which was primarily designed to address sudden and infrequent calamities. With the increasing frequency and severity of short-lived disasters like hurricanes and wildfires, as well as the exacerbating effects of climate change on droughts, a new approach is required.
According to the United Nations, the region is facing its worst drought in 40 years, with more than 43.3 million people in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya in need of assistance, and over half of them lack access to sufficient food. Humanitarian agencies are calling for full funding of the UN’s $7 billion appeal for the Horn of Africa during an upcoming pledging conference, recognizing the growing crisis and the urgent need for life-saving intervention.
