Britain urges EU to hurry food aid

The British government has called on the European Union (EU) to speed up food aid shipments to drought-stricken Ethiopia.

Chief Secretary of the Treasury Paul Boateng, who is on a three-nation tour of Africa, said on Friday his government would urge the EU to ensure that desperately needed shipments were delivered on time.

“The EU undoubtedly has to do better on the delivery front,” said Boateng. “I cannot be clearer about the importance that we attach to matching delivery with pledges."

“You can be assured that the United Kingdom and all ministers have a continuing dialogue with the EU and its institutions about the importance of aid effectiveness,” he added.

Ethiopia is facing one of the worst droughts in its history with more than 12 million people facing starvation.

The Ethiopian government says it has been forced to cut ration sizes by almost a fifth in most of the country because it has not received enough food.

“One very much hopes that in relation to Ethiopia, and one believes very shortly, we will see further arrivals of food aid to Ethiopia from the EU,” Boateng added.

The EU initially pledged some 294,500 mt of food aid following an appeal in December by the government.

Sources close to the EU stress that while its assistance is slower than some, there has been no break in the crucial food pipeline so aid has always been in the country.