New York, Sep 23 2011 4:10PM
Djibouti, one of the countries most severely affected by the current drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, today used the podium of the General Assembly to call on the world to not only provide immediate aid but also take the longer-term steps to prevent a recurrence.
"Our immediate needs are urgent and we are grateful to the friendly countries and international organizations who have participated in our efforts," Djibouti's President Ismaël Omar Guelleh <"http://gadebate.un.org/66/djibouti">said of the drought and famine that have severely afflicted at least 13.3 million people in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and most particularly in Somalia, where tens of thousands of people have already died and more than 3.2 million others are on the brink of starvation.
"However, taking into account the endemic nature of drought in our region we must go beyond a reactive attitude and our efforts must from now on be focused on long-term prevention," he added, noting that Djibouti has several projects under way, including water storage during flood times on the Awash River and the use of arable land.
"Faced with this terrible scourge, the region's resilience is sorely tried and emergency measures cannot alone respond to the challenges we currently face."
Turning to the political situation in Djibouti's southern neighbour, Somalia, Mr. Guelleh cited recent improvements in the war-torn country following the withdrawal of Al-Shabaab Islamic militants from Mogadishu, the capital, and agreements by the transitional authorities to set up a functioning central government by next August in a country that has had none for the past two decades, during which it has been torn apart by factional conflicts.
He appealed to the international community to provide the transitional authorities with the necessary resources to reinforce its fragile capacities.
Turning to Djibouti's northern neighbour, Eritrea, with which it fought in a border dispute in 2008, Mr. Guelleh said he had still not received any word about 19 Djiboutian prisoners of war despite Security Council resolutions and the efforts of regional organizations, but he committed himself to mediation as the sole path to a lasting peace.
Sep 23 2011 4:10PM
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