A staggering 33.5 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia—nearly 20 percent of the region's population—do not have access to clean water due to the region's ongoing drought. By May, it is expected that this drought will have lasted for a record-breaking six straight seasons.
The price of water has increased by 400 percent in some regions of Ethiopia, northern Kenya, and Somalia since January 2021, putting it out of reach for the 22.7 million people who are already experiencing acute starvation. In pastoral areas of northern Kenya, such as Marsabit and Turkana, 95 percent of water sources have dried up, driving up water costs.
“The hungriest people in the region are also the thirstiest. People have depleted their last penny as they lost their crops and animals. They now have to pay vendors who continuously hike water prices”, said Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Oxfam in Africa Director.
Only 20 percent of the UN seven billion dollars appeal for Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia has been funded to date, which will derail efforts to help millions of people on the brink of famine. This is despite the fact that famine has been averted in countries like Somalia, largely due to an increase in humanitarian response.
“The world should not turn its back on East Africa. Without an urgent and major increase in aid, many more people will die of hunger and thirst. The worsening hunger crisis in East Africa is a harsh reminder that we also need long-term solutions beyond immediate humanitarian relief, to help people cope with the recurrent shocks. National governments must lead that change by investing in social protection, water infrastructure and supporting food producers,” added N’Zi-Hassane.
