As global leaders meet in Rome, World Vision urges international donors to provide $850 million to fund humanitarian crisis in Horn of Africa

Rome, 25 July 2011 -- As the UN and leaders from the international community meet Monday in Rome to urge donor governments to support the crisis in the Horn of Africa, World Vision is calling on the international community to respond immediately by providing US $850 million to fund the humanitarian emergency. The emergency meeting was organized by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) at the request of the G20 members.

Leading experts describe the situation in the Horn of Africa as the worst food security emergency in the world today and the United Nations has announced a state of famine in areas of Somalia with children bearing the brunt of the crisis.

In addition, World Vision is urging international leaders to make the following commitments to the children and families living in the Horn of Africa:

1.    The international community needs to respond immediately by providing US $850 million to fill the humanitarian funding gap and provide the necessary technical support to meet the needs of the affected population.

2.    Donor contributions must prioritize preventive child health and nutrition as key components of the immediate response and focus on child protection efforts to prevent separation and other threats arising from increased child vulnerability. This can be achieved by strengthening specialized nutrition and health support programs and social protection mechanisms at the community level and social safety nets throughout the region.

3.    National, regional and international efforts must focus on the most vulnerable groups, the displaced and pastoralist communities. Urgent access is required to reach them, especially in the most affected areas of South Central Somalia. Donors should coordinate with each other and implement policies that enable, and avoid impeding, life-saving humanitarian aid and access. The amount and speed of donor funding should reflect the reality that tens of thousands of people have already died and many more will die, unless their urgent needs are met now. This includes ensuring consistent messaging on safe, timely and unimpeded access to affected populations with relevant state and non-state actors.

4.    A regional crisis calls for a regional response. The East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) should come together to jointly address the immediate needs of the affected population in East Africa and work towards using existing regional mechanisms such as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) and its key initiatives to ensure long term sustainability of the response.

About World Vision
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We serve the world's poor -- regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information on their efforts, visit WorldVision.org/press or follow them on Twitter at @WorldVisionNews