2.6 million starving in Africa

The World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a report which states that there are 2.6 people starving in Africa.

The report, released on Tuesday, claims that instead of improving, the situation is becoming worse. Particularly at risk are the populations of rural areas in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Lesotho and, recently, Zimbabwe. This country is added to the list of Africa’s starving nations after decades of dictatorial rule by Robert Mugabe, who recently claimed to have been re-elected as president of his country. Inflation is at 120% and rising and 60% of the population is unemployed.

The WFP report blames the recent flooding for the aggravation of the current crisis, and calls for 70 million USD in aid. Southern Africa is affected cyclically by prolonged drought, followed by intensive rains, making the harvest of crops impossible. Populations who traditionally live alongside the more fertile land on river banks are particularly affected. Interior areas are parched so dry that nothing will grow.

Pamela Lewis, spokesperson for the WFP, said in the report that although food distribution programmes are under way, the situation is deteriorating and more and more people are starving. “It is apparent that we are facing an unprecedented crisis and only swift action will prevent a calamity”, she claimed.

300 people have already starved to death in Malawi, while in Zambia, at least 33 people have died, in a population of 1.3 million who are under-nourished in the regions of Chikankata, Milanzi and Vubwi. Over half a million in Zimbabwe are threatened with starvation. In Mozambique, 170,000 people are in danger and in Lesotho, the figure is 36,000.

Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY PRAVDA.Ru