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Ethiopia

UK provides £20 million emergency funding for Ethiopia

An additional £20 million to help tackle the current food crisis in Ethiopia was announced today by International Development Minister, Gareth Thomas.

The emergency funding is being provided in response to the Government of Ethiopia's latest humanitarian assessment, which estimates that 5.2 million people urgently need food aid to survive.

The UK funding will be channelled through the UN World Food Programme, to enable them to purchase and distribute food.

This is the third year running that Ethiopia has faced a humanitarian crisis. The main rains - upon which the majority of farmers depend - have been shorter and more erratic than usual, leading to substantial crop losses. The global economic crisis and rising global food and oil prices have also played a part.

International Development Minister Gareth Thomas said:

"UK support is providing a lifeline to millions of Ethiopians who simply do not have enough food to eat.

"We cannot solve this problem alone and so I urge other donors to come forward and respond to the current situation.

"But emergency aid is only part of the solution. That is why the UK is supporting the Government of Ethiopia to address the root causes of the problem. Our support for the 'safety nets' programme will help provide cash or food for 8 million people, in return for public work that will improve agricultural productivity and boost the economy".

In January, DFID announced an additional £200m to continue funding the innovative and successful safety net programme.

Alongside providing for people's immediate needs, DFID is also helping to deliver major improvements in Ethiopia's health, education, water, agricultural services, and economic growth.

In the next three to five years, this funding will help to put 2.8 million more children in school, give 6 million people access to water, and ensure an extra 400,000 children reach their fifth birthday.