Rushanara Ali MP said:

"Daily we receive updates on the war in Ukraine. Those fighting against injustice, the tragic loss of lives and the ongoing refugee crisis as people are forced to flee their homes. There are many dimensions to this war and many repercussions that we are only just now beginning to come to the forefront.

Recent findings have highlighted the devastating effects of the war on the Horn of Africa. Somalia, Somaliland, Ethiopia and Kenya are facing critical levels of hunger and the severe threat of famine. The International Rescue Committee says 18.4 million people “are already on the verge of starvation, about half of them children”. These heartbreaking figures have culminated from Russia’s blockade on grain supplies in the Black Sea, drop in fertiliser supply from Ukraine and Russia and the spike in fuel and energy prices exacerbating the cost of aid and global supply chains. Not only are these regions on the brink of famine, but also suffering medicine shortages. 

Now witnessing a fourth consecutive failed rainy season, these countries in the East of Africa are facing the worst drought in decades. In Somalia, 360,000 children face critical malnutrition with more than 7.1 million people likely to experience severe food insecurity between June and September. Silos in Somaliland are depleted, as food stores in Ukraine are unable to be exported. Many in Somaliland have already had to relocate in an attempt to find water and food. The war has brought these already vulnerable regions to a tipping point that is manifesting in catastrophic repercussions.”

ENDS