Crisis and Famine in the Horn of Africa: How Should the World Respond?

Background

The countries of Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, and Somalia comprise the Horn of Africa. A harsh and arid environment, the region receives little rainfall and has experienced recurring cycles of drought and famine, which are aggravated by environmental degradation, political unrest, and climate change. Since mid-July, the worst drought in over a half century has affected much of the East African region, causing a severe food crisis across Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya that has affected more than 13.3 million people. Particularly hard hit is southern Somalia, large areas of which have officially been declared famine zones in recent months by the United Nations. Officials report that tens of thousands of Somalis have already died and another 1 million are at risk of starvation.

Those affected by the famine have been driven from their homes by a lack of food, water, and the death of their livestock. They have fled to refugee camps in neighboring countries or to cities in their home countries. Dadaab, the world’s most populous refugee camp in Kenya, near the Somali border, is currently sheltering more than 500,000 refugees. Nearly 1,500 Somalis flee across the border into Kenya daily. Within the camps, life-saving food aid, health care, and clean water are provided.

The country of greatest concern in the region—which is also supplying the largest number of refugees—is Somalia. It has been without a functioning central government for the past two decades and is contested by feuding warlords, armed with private militias, creating a state of continuous armed conflict. Plagued by widespread lawlessness, piracy, lack of governance, and poverty, Somalia is by all definitions a failed state. A weak and divided UN- and African Union-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) controls part of the capital city of Mogadishu. The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is charged with providing security for the TFG. The self-declared independent region of Somaliland and semi-autonomous Puntland operate independently from the TFG or southern Somalia.

Southern Somalia and parts of central Somalia are ruled by al-Shabaab, an Islamist militia linked to Al Qaeda, which has been labeled a terrorist organization by a number of western countries, including the United States. Al-Shabaab militants have not only denied aid groups access into the famine-stricken areas—since 2009, it has banned the World Food Program from regions under its control—they have also forcibly kidnapped those affected by the famine, preventing them from going to camps where they would receive food and medical care.

Somali militant groups have also claimed responsibility for other recent high-profile kidnappings of aid workers and westerners in Kenya. In late October, Kenyan troops crossed the border into southern Somalia, with the stated mission of defeating al-Shabaab.

Other security concerns exist offshore. Off the coast of Somalia, piracy remains the biggest boon to the economy in Puntland. This threatens a key global shipping route through the Gulf of Aden. Pirates attack shipping and fishing vessels and hold ships and passengers hostage for ransom. Pirates are currently holding nearly 400 people hostage.

The Response

The severity of this crisis requires a worldwide response. Celebrities, governments, NGOs, the United Nations and others have drawn attention and responded to the crisis. To address the need for humanitarian assistance due to the drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, the UN activated the Cluster System. The Cluster System is a way of organizing United Nations programs along with key global humanitarian NGOs to coordinate and deliver disaster and humanitarian relief. Due to the need for humanitarian, political, development, and security coordination, a high-level meeting of the International Contact Group on Somalia has been called by Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General. The International Contact Group on Somalia meeting will involve nearly 30 countries, including countries in the Horn of Africa and other donor countries, the African Union, European Union, League of Arab States, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Organization of Islamic Cooperation, NATO, African Development Bank, World Bank, and the United Nations. United Nations programs and funds such as UNICEF, UNHCR, and WFP, along with their NGO counterparts will also be present. This emergency meeting will convene on Thursday, December 8, 2011. The primary focus will be on addressing both short- and long-term humanitarian and security concerns--and how the world should respond. All parties involved will be placed in cluster groups to address issues including food; water, sanitation, and hygiene; shelter; health; education; protection; communications; food security; governance; security; and piracy.