Military

DATE=4/1/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=HORN OF AFRICA / FOOD (ALTERNATE) (L-O)

NUMBER=2-301627

BYLINE=MWAMOYO HAMZA

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: More than 11-million people will face starvation in the Horn of Africa this year if the world does not increase food aid to the region, a U-N oficial told the U-S Congress at a hearing Tuesday. V-O-A's Mwamoyo Hamza has more.

TEXT: A senior officer of the World Food Program warned the U-S Congress the international community needs to take immediate measures in food aid to avert a famine in Ethiopia and Eritrea later this year.

Testifying before the House of Representatives Committee on International Relations, W-F-P Deputy Executive Director Sheila Sisulu said one-and-a-half-million metric tons of food is needed for Ethiopia alone. Ms. Sisulu said in neighboring Eritrea, nearly 60 percent of the population urgently needs food aid.

Ms. Sisulu said the W-F-P has launched an emergency food distribution program in Ethiopia to save lives and prevent mass migration out of regions stricken by famine.

/// SISULU ACT ///

We aim to provide over 600-thousand metric tons (of food) this year in order to reach four-point-six-million people. This will cover 40 percent of the overall requirements for cereals and part of the needs for supplementary food for 2003.

/// AND ACT ///

Also testifying before the committee was (Virginia Republican) Congressman Frank Wolf who visited Ethiopia and Eritrea late last year. He showed a haunting video of undernourished mothers and children at feeding centers around the country.

Mr. Wolf told the committee a widespread food crisis is emerging in Africa and that he has asked United Nation Secretary General Kofi Annan to appoint a special envoy to respond to hunger crises throughout the world.

(California Democratic) Congressman Tom Lantos noted that the U-S government has continuously provided food aid to Africa, and criticized the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments for contributing to the current food crisis with their constant quarrels.

/// LANTOS ACT ///

It is an outrage that these two governments whose citizens live on the very edge of survival cannot end their belligerent relationship, settle their disputes, and get on with addressing the most critical economic, social, and political needs of their people.

/// END ACT ///

Also speaking at the hearing was the U-S Undersecretary of State for Business, Economic and Agriculture Affairs, Alan Larson, who said the Bush administration is working with other developed countries to increase the supply of food to meet the immediate crisis in Africa.

Mr. Larson said the United States is the leader in providing food assistance to the Horn of Africa. He said since last July the United States has contributed more than half-a-million metric tons of food to Ethiopia, and another 70-thousand metric tons to Eritrea. (Signed)

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