Monday, August 15, 2011
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In the face of the dire humanitarian situation in East Africa, the African Union Peace and Security Council has launched an appeal for continental governments to support the affected millions. The countries worst-hit are Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.
To date, Namibia has donated US$500 000 in humanitarian assistance, while Malawi has sent 15 tonnes of food items.
Before that, Botswana had stated its intention to dispatch aide worth more than R500 000 onboard a military transport.
At the launch of the Save Somalia Campaign in Namibia this week, Foreign Affairs Minister Utoni Nujoma said they would be working with mobile communications giant MTC and the Namibia Red Cross Society.
The famine in East Africa is the worst in decades and the number of people affected is between eight and 11 million.
Minister Nujoma pointed out that the United Nations had already described the famine the worst humanitarian disaster in the world today.
The Namibia Red Cross Society said: 'We all agree that the crisis is far from over and more aid will be needed to sustain the population until the next harvest.
'It is our hope that the Namibian people will heed the call and do whatever possible to bring relief to the Somali nation.'
Tim Ekandjo from MTC said the international community had so far pledged R6 billion for famine relief but African countries had only pledged R38 million.
A South African charity, Gift of the Givers, said they had dispatched 15 tonnes of food from Malawi to famine-stricken areas.
Chairperson of the charity, Imitiaz Suleman, said it was important that African countries take the initiative to deal with problems affecting the continent.