UN Calls for International Action on East Africa Locust Outbreak
UN Calls for International Action on East Africa Locust Outbreak
The United Nations secretary general has appealed for “speedy and generous” financial assistance to curb an outbreak of locusts in the eastern African desert, which may worsen significantly if left unchecked.
Antonio Guterres citied global warming as a cause of the problem and called for developed countries to support African nations that are burdened with the consequences, in remarks made to the press on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.
“There is a link between climate change and the unprecedented locust crisis plaguing Ethiopia and East Africa,” Guterres said. “Warmer seas mean more cyclones generating the perfect breeding ground for locusts. Today the swarms are as big as major cities and it is getting worse by the day.”
The desert locusts outbreak is the worst Kenya has experienced in 70 years, and the infestation also includes Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti and Eritrea.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization last week said it had mobilized $15.4 million of the $76 million requested for the five countries. It also warned more could be needed, amid concern that the outbreak will spread to other countries, in particular South Sudan and Uganda.
To contact the reporter on this story: Samuel Gebre in Addis Ababa at sgebre@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: David Malingha at dmalingha@bloomberg.net, Michael Hunter, James Amott
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