Ecological and political factors are stacking the deck against the population in Ethiopia amidst severe drought

On 19 April, the World Food Program announced that the number of people pushed to hunger by the severe drought in the Horn of Africa could rise from the current 14 million to 20 million by the end of the year. This is the latest in a long list of warnings from various international organisations that have been drawing attention to the agropastoral and food crises caused by this drought  since 2020. But contrary to the 2016-2017 drought in the Horn, sufficient measures have not been put in place upstream, organisations warn. Although the whole region faces alarming consequences, with for example half a million already starving people in Kenya, Ethiopia is currently the most affected country with more than 7 million people already affected by famine. This is due to various climatic, but also political circumstances.

Horn Highlights: Starvation looms over Tigray and the Horn, Ethiopian soldiers ask asylum in Sudan, Violence in West Darfur

In this week’s Horn Highlights: Few aid trucks arrive in Tigray; 1,900 children dead of starvation, says Tigray bureau of health; Debretsion sends letter to UN urging for humanitarian corridors; Hundreds of Ethiopians line up to fight for Russia; Ethiopian soldiers ask for asylum in Sudan; Hundreds killed in violence in West Darfur; Several Horn countries agree on defence cooperation; Suicide attack in Somalia; Drought continues to threaten mass starvation in the Horn.