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Ethiopia

The Secretary of State for International Development (Mr. Douglas Alexander): Twenty-five years after the famine in Ethiopia that killed over a million people, there is once again a growing drought and conflict-related humanitarian crisis in the horn of Africa. Ethiopia accounts for the highest proportion of the humanitarian caseload in the region, with over 6 million people needing emergency assistance until the end of 2009. A third of these people live in the Somali region of Ethiopia. UNICEF estimates that there are currently over 500,000 acutely malnourished children in Ethiopia. A further 7.5 million vulnerable Ethiopians receive food and cash transfers under a Productive Safety Net Programme. [Official Report, 19 October 2009, Vol. 497, c. 47-48WS.] Letter of correction from Douglas Alexander: An error has been identified in the second paragraph of the written ministerial statement made on 19 October 2009 where it refers to ““over 500,000 acutely malnourished children in Ethiopia””. The correct full text should have been: ““Ethiopia accounts for the highest proportion of the humanitarian caseload in the region, with over 6 million people needing emergency assistance until the end of 2009. A third of these people live in the Somali region of Ethiopia. UNICEF estimates that there are currently over 500,000 severely acutely malnourished children in the Horn of Africa, of whom more than half are in Ethiopia. A further 7.5 million vulnerable Ethiopians receive food and cash transfers under a Productive Safety Net Programme