Around 68 million people in Southern Africa are enduring the impact of a drought caused by El Niño, which has devastated crops throughout the region, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) reported on Saturday.
Since early 2024, an El Niño-induced drought has severely impacted crop and livestock production, leading to widespread food shortages and economic damage across Southern Africa.
Leaders from the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) convened in Harare, Zimbabwe, to address regional challenges, including the pressing issue of food security.
Elias Magosi, SADC’s executive secretary, reported that about 68 million people, or 17% of Southern Africa’s population, are in need of aid due to the severe drought affecting the region.
“The 2024 rainy season has been a challenging one with most parts of the region encountering negative outcomes of the El Niño phenomenon characterised by the late onset of rains,” he said.
This drought is the worst in years, driven by both the natural El Niño event and increased temperatures from greenhouse gas emissions.
Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi have declared the hunger crisis a state of disaster, and Lesotho and Namibia have requested humanitarian assistance.
Despite a May appeal for $5.5 billion to address the drought, donations have fallen short, according to Joao Lourenco, President of Angola and outgoing SADC chair.
“The funds raised so far fall short of what’s needed. I urge regional and global partners to increase their efforts to support those impacted by El Niño,” he stated at the summit.
The drought is a key topic at this year’s summit, alongside other pressing issues like the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which Lourenco described as a significant concern.
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