The Hill News

Over three million people are on the brink of starvation in Somalia alone. Failed crops, dead livestock and thousands streaming across borders in search of food, water and safety. In the past few weeks, as the debt ceiling debate has hogged the headlines, the crisis in the Horn of Africa has become a steadily noisier roar.

How has it come to this again in Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti? The Eastern Horn has experienced two consecutive seasons of significantly below-average rainfall, resulting in one of the driest years since 1995. Decades of conflict and poor governance have exacerbated existing challenges and also prevented many aid groups from operating. And world food prices are already at all-time highs, leading to twelve million people in the region now needing access to food, water and basic sanitation. 

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