The EU has announced new actions to respond to the El Niño and food security crisis in the Horn of Africa
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Four new actions worth 66,5 million of euros will be funded under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa to address the destructive impacts of the El Niño phenomenon in the Horn of Africa region, such as floods and droughts.
El Niño is the phenomenon of rising temperatures of surface sea water, which causes different extreme events such as floods and droughts. This package of development assistance focuses on the four countries that are most severely hit by El Niño and that are experiencing the highest levels of food insecurity: Ethiopia (22,5 million of euros), Somalia (8 million of euros), South Sudan (28 million of euros) and Sudan (8 million of euros). It focusses on short and long-term solutions for vulnerable groups and combines measures for relief, rehabilitation and development.
Droughts and other climate change-related occurrences are a major driver of displacement in the region. They have the potential of increasing food insecurity and as a consequence fuelling tensions and local conflicts over scarce resources and livelihood opportunities. To maximise the impact of EU action and to support a broader development response in the region, this package will be channelled through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. The Trust Fund, which aims at tackling instability and addressing the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, is already delivering actions worth 370 million of euros in the Horn of Africa region.
The four resilience-oriented projects will contribute to:
- Peace-building and economic development;
- Empowering vulnerable groups to meet food and nutrition needs by created linkages with markets;
- Developing more efficient water management systems and resilient agricultural practices;
- Creating income generating opportunities to help poor households become self-sufficient and therefore enhance community livelihoods;
- Strengthening capacity of local institutions for service delivery, thereby supporting vulnerable communities;
- Support social networks in resolving community conflicts in a peaceful manner.
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