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Escalating crisis in Sahel and Sudan
Minister for Foreign Affairs
February 09, 2012
Australia is responding quickly to prevent a deepening food shortage in the Sahel region in Africa and address urgent humanitarian needs in Sudan and South Sudan.
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said that millions of people in the Sahel are in need of food following drought, reduced crop harvests and people movements from other parts of Africa affected by conflict, such as Libya and Cote d’Ivoire.
“Australia is acting early to help prevent an escalating food crisis in the region, providing $10 million through the World Food Programme and other UN partners focussing on the worst hit countries of Niger and Chad. The investment will also help build preparedness in the region to help prevent future crises.
“This builds on Australia’s existing work, through the CSIRO, to improve the long term food security and resilience of West African countries,” Mr Rudd said.
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