UNICEF Ireland director to visit crisis-hit Zimbabwe

The executive director of UNICEF Ireland is due to travel to Zimbabwe this morning as the threat of famine continues to hang over the country.

Maura Quinn will undertake a fact-finding mission in the southern African nation, which is facing a humanitarian crisis due to drought and political isolation. Ms Quinn said:

"There is a food crisis in southern Africa, but Zimbabwe is the worst affected country. Estimates at the moment are that there are only about 70 days of food remaining in the country so my visit over the next couple of days will be just to get an assessment of what the conditions are like on the ground.

"The information from UNICEF in Harare and in the rest of Zimbabwe is that the situation is extremely difficult."