UN Humanitarian Chief Warns of Worsening Crisis in East Africa Drought
• The United Nations humanitarian coordinator reported on Thursday that drought conditions across East Africa have intensified, affecting approximately 24 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia with critical water and food shortages. • The organization is requesting $3.2 billion in emergency humanitarian assistance for 2026, warning that without immediate intervention, malnutrition rates could exceed 2022 levels when the region experienced famine conditions. • US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced an additional $450 million in emergency aid packages, representing a 40% increase from the previous fiscal year allocation for East African relief operations.
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