UN special envoy visits drought-stricken region

The UN’s special envoy for the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia and Eritrea, Martti Ahtisaari, is expected to arrive in Ethiopia on Friday as part of a six-day mission to the drought-stricken region. He is due to hold talks on the severe and complex crisis in Ethiopia where some 13.2 million people are currently surviving on food hand-outs. As a follow-up to his trip to the region last July, Ahtisaari will meet Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Commissioner Simon Mechale of the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC), the government body tasked with tackling the food crisis. The main objective of the mission is to review the overall humanitarian situation in Ethiopia with a special focus on chronic food insecurity and strategies to reduce vulnerability to future droughts. Ahtisaari will also visit a UN Children’s Fund-supported emergency water project that provides clean drinking water to 2,270 people. "The special envoy's visit highlights the importance of both food aid and non-food assistance in our emergency response," said UNICEF Representative Bjorn Ljungqvist. "But it also reinforces the message that we need to not only address Ethiopia's emergency humanitarian needs but also enhance the country's capacity to ensure long-term development goals." Ahtisaari is due to travel to Eritrea on 9 November.