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NAIROBI, May 08, 2009 (AFP)
— The global financial crisis, growing conflict and unpredictable
weather patterns are threatening the lives of millions of people in the
Horn of Africa, a UN agency said Friday.
An estimated 19.8 million people, among them four million children, are
in need of emergency relief in the region, a rise of nearly 50 percent
from 14 million in September, the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) said.
"Over the last few months we have witnessed a steady increase in the
numbers of children suffering from acute malnutrition... more children
are at risk of death and disease," said Dorothy Rozga, the agency's
deputy director for east and southern Africa.
Rampant piracy off the coast of Somali that is threatening a key
shipping route had also contributed to the region's woes, the agency
said.
"We are witnessing an all too familiar tragedy unfolding, and unless we
act with much greater urgency the situation for children can only get
worse," Rozga added.
Malnutrition rates among children in Djibouti, Somalia and parts of
Eritrea were high, said UNICEF.
It said its relief efforts were hamstrung by lack of funds. So far this
year it has received less than 10 percent of its projected emergency
funding requirements.
Source: AFP, May 08, 2009
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