The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has rundown the prolonged drought spells that have ravaged the region and affected millions of people and livestock.
The IGAD Executive Secretary, Dr Workneh Gebeyehu giving the region address said the 2021-20122 period was the most challenging in the history of IGAD.
“It was one of the hottest, driest and most conflict-affected periods for our region in recent memory. These extreme changes in weather are of grave concern to the IGAD region. The drought affected over 10% of our population, with 36.1 million people facing heightened levels of food insecurity,” said Dr Gebeyehu.
The drought caused the loss of an estimated 4.2 million livestock, which impacted the livelihoods and economic stability of pastoralist communities in the IGAD region. This region is home to 50% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s livestock and the livestock industry contributes about 15% to the region’s GDP.
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“In response to these challenges of extreme weather, livestock losses and resultant food insecurity, IGAD proposes in 2023 to undertake a number of pro-active initiatives beginning with convening a regional climate outlook forum, 19 days from now on February 20,” added Dr Gebeyehu.
“The prolonged drought also triggered large-scale population displacement with close to 2 million people becoming internally displaced and increasing the refugee burden in the region because approximately 40,000 of our brothers and sisters sought asylum from hunger in neighboring countries in 2022,” he said.
Dr Gebeyehu also gave an update on peace efforts in South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan. He appealed to all the parties involved in the negotiations to embrace the spirit of dialogue.
“In 2023, IGAD is determined to ride the ‘wind of peace’ that has been sweeping across our region and promises to continue working tirelessly to resolve the remaining differences in the region. Peace and the ability to address and resolve internal tensions is perhaps the greatest defence that states and nations can have in these times of extreme political polarization and internal strife. For the IGAD region, the surest path to peace is to deliver progress and prosperity through regional integration and unity,” said Dr Gebeyehu.