Washington, D.C. – Sheila Nix, U.S. Executive Director of The ONE Campaign, today issued the following statement regarding the growing crisis and famine in the Horn of Africa:

“Last week, the UN declared a famine in parts of Somalia, due to what is being called one of the worst droughts in the past 60 years. This has left more than 11 million people in the Horn of Africa – greater than the populations of Houston and New York City combined- desperately in need of food, emergency agricultural assistance, clean water and basic sanitation. In the short-term, support from world governments and on-the-ground aid organizations will be critical in delivering lifesaving assistance to millions of men, women, and children that are suffering from hunger and malnutrition, preventing tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths. “The U.S. government has been a leader in providing humanitarian relief and financial support in the Horn of Africa during this time of crisis. While droughts are unavoidable, famines are man-made and can be avoided. Although chronic hunger persists in Ethiopia and Kenya, the countries have avoided famine through governance, planning, and U.S.-supported programs like Feed the Future and the Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNET). Both countries have opened their doors and are providing refuge and access to food and assistance to the most vulnerable fleeing from neighboring Somalia.”

“As ONE’s on-the-ground partners work to address the immediate crisis, ONE is calling on Congress to support cost-effective, results-driven programs in the FY2012 budget that fight the root causes of world hunger, in particular those focused on long-term agricultural productivity that enable families to grow food to feed themselves – all for less than 1% of the U.S. budget. As Congress debates significant spending cuts to drive down the deficit, we must not forget America’s life-saving legacy of helping the most vulnerable and we must protect long-term efforts to avoid crises like the current famine in the Horn of Africa.”