Emerging From the Drought of a Generation

A person using a farming tool to work the field at their home.
Manase, pictured here in Ale, Ethiopia, and her husband grow teff, maize, and sorghum to provide for their children. Her husband also leads a savings group that supports their community when crops fail.

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18 May 2023 9 a.m. EDT / 2 p.m. BST / 4 p.m. EAT

As the Horn of Africa emerges from an unprecedented drought, the lives and livelihoods of millions are still at threat. Reeling from the effects of the third large-scale drought in little over a decade, with already depleted assets and coping strategies for recovery and adaptation, many are now also facing severe flooding. Meanwhile, the humanitarian response remains inadequate and unable to meet immediate needs.

Without an urgent ramping up of funding and concerted action, the food security and livelihoods of families across the Horn will continue to worsen until at least late 2023. Even as the international community struggles to meet humanitarian needs, it is imperative to  build the resilience of communities to inevitable future droughts to prevent unnecessary economic backsliding and loss of life.  

Ahead of the upcoming High-Level Pledging Event on the Humanitarian Response in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia on 24th May 2023, it is a timely moment to take stock of lessons learnt over the past year and the major gaps in the international response. This online panel event will highlight the situation being faced by communities across the Horn of Africa, present new research findings demonstrating opportunities for longer-term solutions, and make recommendations for key donors.

Speakers

  • Daud Jiran, Mercy Corps Somalia Country Director
  • Jeeyon Kim PhD, Senior Researcher, Mercy Corps
  • Mohamed Abdikadir, Executive Director, Organization for Welfare and Development in Action

Moderator

  • Sara Jerving, Senior Reporter, Devex