Joint Statement by Commissioners Piebalgs and Georgieva on the Horn of Africa
One year ago, the United Nations declared famine in Southern Somalia. At that time, the entire Horn of Africa was dramatically affected by a major food crisis triggered by drought, conflict, high food prices and the near impossibility of humanitarian organisations to reach the people who needed aid in Somalia. Malnutrition and mortality rates rose to unprecedented levels and hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia crossed the border to neighbouring countries, often reaching refugee camps on the verge of death from exhaustion and hunger. The European Commission and Member States responded to the crisis from its outset; providing fast, generous and sustained assistance.
For more information: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/12/589&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
