Horn of Africa faces 'worst drought in 60 years'

All that's left of Ethiopia's Arayo River in the dry season is a muddy seep where women "scratch" for water.

Credit: Lynn Johnson © National Geographic

5 July 2011

Poor rains in the Horn of Africa have contributed to severe water shortages, failed harvests and food insecurity, affecting more than 10 million people in Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti. 

The drought is also driving up food prices in the regions, making life even more difficult for the poor communities affected.

View an interactive map of the affected area here

The UN estimates that around 3.2 million people in Ethiopia so far have been affected by the drought and 600,000 people require assistance in Uganda. The greatest number of people in need, 3.5 million, is in northern Kenya.

Some communities in the Konso region in Ethiopia where WaterAid works have been receiving emergency assistance as a result of the lack of rainfall. If the rains expected in September also fail, then the drought could have an even greater reach.

In Uganda, WaterAid's northeastern programme areas have been affected and WaterAid staff and partners are closely monitoring the situation.

WaterAid has only recently started operating in Kenya and as yet has no programme work on the ground there.

The combination of drought and war is causing thousands of people to leave Somalia each day for overflowing refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia, putting severe pressure on already limited resources. However, the water points built by WaterAid are still functioning and no water stresses around these have been reported.

Sustainable infrastructure - such as water schemes - is essential in improving rural food security. WaterAid has been putting systems in place to prepare for the ongoing problems of water scarcity and food security and ensure all interventions have a long-lasting and wide-reaching impact.

WaterAid has also integrated disaster risk reduction into our programme strategies and work around water, sanitation and hygiene.

As our specialist focus is on long term sustainable water supply and we are therefore not equipped to deal directly with emergency relief situations. Where we can usefully assist relief efforts, either through supporting the work of the national authorities or international disaster relief agencies in the area, we will do so. However, we will not be launching an emergency appeal.

Supporters wanting to help the relief effort can donate to Australian agencies listed on the Australian Council for International Development website here.