BRATISLAVA, July 20, (WEBNOVINY) — The Ministry of Interior is recommending at this point not to try sending material humanitarian aid to the Horn of Africa, which suffers from drought and famine. „The reason is the difficult internal situation and the inaccessibility of the affected areas,“ Ludmila Stanova from the Interior Ministry’s communications department informed SITA news agency. This recommendation was agreed-upon at a meeting of representatives of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which discussed ways to help the countries in the Horn of Africa. „The Ministry recommends using established non-governmental organizations active in these countries — People in Peril, the Slovak Catholic Charity and Magna – Children in Need and free up funds for them through the mechanisms of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,“ said Stanova.
„The Slovak Republic is ready and able to make available material humanitarian aid directed to refugee camps in the affected areas within help delivered by the EU countries, as was the case with Japan, Haiti and others,“ she concluded.
Three Slovak NGOs have announced fundraisers to raise money to help the starving people in the Horn of Africa. „The people from Slovakia can help the people at the risk of starvation by voluntary contributions to public collections,“ said project manager of the platform of development NGOs Andrea Girmanova. Integra Foundation is organizing a fundraiser to help people in Kenya and Ethiopia. Finances will be used for rapid distribution of food and drinking water and also to provide health care or shelter. The Slovak Catholic Charity will be helping in Ethiopia and Somalia. UNICEF Slovakia plans to support children in those countries in particular. “ More than two million children aged under five suffer from chronic malnutrition in the region,“ explains Girmanova. „All organizations that are raising money to help people in the Horn of Africa will inform on their use on their websites,“ she said.
Ten million people of the Horn of Africa are suffering from the worst drought in decades. Famine has already started spreading in some parts of the region as a result of poor harvest. An insufficient rainy season combined with high food prices affected mostly Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda with Ethiopia and Kenya being among beneficiaries receiving official Slovak development aid in the past.
SITA
