Facing famine, Nigeria receives "lifesaver" from the United Nations

On June 20, Mr. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, said that the UN plans to deploy a $20 million emergency food security relief package in northeastern Nigeria, an area currently suffering from famine.

Mr. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson of the United Nations Secretary-General, announced the food relief plan for Nigeria. (Source: The New York Times)

According to Mr. Farhan Haq, with 9 million USD from the Central Emergency Response Fund and 11 million USD from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund, the UN will coordinate with the governments of the states of Borno, Adamawa and Yob of this country to address food security.

The relief package includes food, ready-to-eat meals, access to clean water, health care and agricultural support.

Deputy Spokesperson Haq said the emergency package would pave the way for the response, but more efforts from humanitarian partners were needed to mitigate the severity of the famine. However, the $1.3 billion humanitarian response plan for Nigeria this year has only been disbursed 26 percent.

Nearly 700,000 children under the age of five are at risk of life-threatening severe acute malnutrition this year in northeastern Nigeria, and more than 500,000 people could face emergency levels of food shortages during the lean season from June to August, according to UN humanitarian partners.

Humanitarian experts explain that the causes of the food crisis in northeastern Nigeria stem from violence by armed groups and the impact of climate change.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/doi-pho-voi-nan-doi-nigeria-nha-n-phao-cu-u-sinh-tu-lien-ho-p-quo-c-231698.html