UN to meet in emergency session over Africa famine

THE United Nations has called an emergency meeting on July 25 to discuss mobilising aid for drought-stricken east Africa, where famine has been declared in parts of Somalia.

A wide swathe of east Africa, including Kenya and Ethiopia, has been hit by years of severe drought and the United Nations says two regions of southern Somalia are suffering the worst famine for 20 years, with 3.7 million people facing starvation.

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation announced an emergency meeting at its Rome headquarters on Monday to be attended by ministers and senior representatives from its 191 member countries, other UN bodies, NGOs and regional development banks.