WFP warns of hunger “hot spots” in 2001

Catherine Bertini, the Executive Director of the UN World Programme (WFP), warned on Monday of a tough year ahead for millions of people trapped in poverty and numerous hunger “hot spots” around the world. “We’re looking at a number of hot spots - especially in Africa - where WFP’s continued help will be necessary to prevent people from starving to death,” Bertini told reporters at UN headquarters in New York. The combination of war and natural disaster will continue to take its toll in 2001, according to Bertini. “We’ve seen an alarming trend where the poorest nations are hit simultaneously by both natural and man-made emergencies, including in Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Tajikistan,” she said. “Unfortunately, we see a potential for that to continue or even increase in 2001.” In the Greater Horn of Africa alone, about 16 million who suffer from conflict and drought will continue to have the greatest need this year. Over two thirds of WFP’s total projected emergency food aid needs are designated for the Horn in 2001. “Last year we prevented a repeat of the 1983-84 Ethiopia famine but we’re not out of the woods yet,” Bertini said. “Millions of people are still at risk in the Horn and the next few months will be critical to sustain recovery.” In response to a question Bertini added that the signing of the ceasefire between Ethiopia and Eritrea had led to a “significant improvement” in food aid operations. “The end of the war has freed up trucks and other facilities that are necessary to provide logistical support for food distribution,” she said. Bertini thanked the international community for responding so quickly in the Horn last year but said that donors need to recommit themselves now to prevent starvation in other parts of the world. “The international community needs to confront these problems with us now, in places like Sudan, Guinea and Afghanistan. Both more money and greater political resolve must be committed before these crises grow. Hunger is a global problem and it needs global responses,” she said. Bertini said that in the absence of political solutions, the developed world had to strengthen its humanitarian response. “We can’t run away from these problems. One way of another, they have a way of showing up on our doorsteps through television, mass emigration, the spread of disease and environmental degradation. Responding to these problems is not just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing.” Bertini noted that donor contributions to WFP and other aid agencies fell far short of the actual needs. “To prevent people from dying of hunger in 2001, we need renewed donor contributions now,” she said.