"Thousands Dead from Ukraine War and Worst Drought"... Africa's Cry Amid Food Crisis

Ukraine War Drought Causes Sharp Rise in Prices and Hunger Population
Hospitals and Malnutrition Treatment Centers Overwhelmed

Malnourished child having weight measured at a malnutrition response center in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia [Photo by AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Park] Africa is facing the worst food crisis in 40 years due to drought. On top of this, the sharp decline in wheat distribution caused by the Ukraine war and rising prices have left many people struggling with hunger.

According to the Associated Press on the 8th (local time), drought has recently struck the northeastern region of Africa, causing a rapid increase in the number of people suffering from hunger. There are warnings that if another "dry rainy season" occurs after four recent rainy seasons with insufficient rainfall, the number of starvation deaths will explode.

Moreover, due to the Ukraine war, prices of grains such as wheat and cooking oil have soared to unprecedented levels. Prices of some items have more than doubled, and livestock have all died as they could not withstand the drought. Africa imports 40% of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine.

The situation in Somalia, which depends on Russia and Ukraine for 90% of its wheat consumption, is even more severe. Oliyoh Hasan Salad, living in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, told the AP that she lost four children this year due to lack of food.

On the outskirts of Mogadishu, migrant camps have sprung up everywhere as people fled famine, and hospitals and malnutrition treatment centers have become overwhelmed with people exhausted by hunger. Dr. Mustafa Yusuf, who works at a treatment center, said, "The number of hospitalized patients in May doubled compared to the previous month." At six malnutrition treatment centers operated by the relief organization Hunger Response Action, at least 40 people died from January to April.

According to statistics from all malnutrition treatment centers in Somalia, 448 people have died. However, relief organization officials estimate that the actual number of deaths is much higher. With global attention focused on the Ukraine war and the added threat of the extremist armed group Al-Shabaab, it is difficult to tally deaths and respond effectively.

Biram Endiyaye, UNICEF's head of malnutrition response in Somalia, said, "Based on experience, when migration, outbreaks of infectious diseases, and the spread of malnutrition occur simultaneously, the number of deaths increases sharply. This situation has developed in Somalia now."

UNICEF warned, "If the world remains focused only on the Ukraine war and does not take action, child deaths will explode in the Horn of Africa (northeastern Africa)." Adam Abdelmoiya, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, told the AP, "Although specific figures have not yet been released, it is clear that thousands have died."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.