This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/7626562.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
E Africa needs $700m aid, says UN Hunger levels soar in East Africa
(about 4 hours later)
East African countries need some $700m (£382m) in emergency aid to stave off the risk of descending into full-scale famine, the United Nations has warned. Nearly 17 million people in the Horn of Africa are in urgent need of food and other aid - almost twice as many as earlier this year, the UN has said.
Some $700m (£382m) in emergency aid is needed to prevent the region descending into full-scale famine, it said.
Top UN humanitarian official John Holmes said food stocks were critically low in parts of Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, northern Kenya and Uganda.Top UN humanitarian official John Holmes said food stocks were critically low in parts of Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, northern Kenya and Uganda.
The area has suffered from drought, conflict and rocketing food prices.The area has suffered from drought, conflict and rocketing food prices.
The UN estimates almost 17 million people are in urgent need of food and other aid across the Horn of Africa. The number of those at risk could rise still further "as the drought deepens and the hunger season continues", Mr Holmes said.
"This number could even rise as the drought deepens and the hunger season continues," Mr Holmes said.
"What we need essentially is more funds, and more funds now, otherwise the situation is going to become even more catastrophic than it is today.""What we need essentially is more funds, and more funds now, otherwise the situation is going to become even more catastrophic than it is today."
The estimated total need for the 17 million hungry for the rest of this year is $1.4bn. Almost half of that has been raised, Mr Holmes said, but there remains a shortfall of $716m. The estimated total for the rest of this year for those in need is $1.4bn. Almost half of that has been raised, Mr Holmes said, but there remains a shortfall of $716m.
"We may need significant funds after that period - this is not the end of the story," he said."We may need significant funds after that period - this is not the end of the story," he said.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization blames worldwide rises in food prices for helping to push 75 million more people into the ranks of the world's hungry last year - bringing the total to 925 million. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation blames worldwide rises in food prices for helping to push 75 million more people into the ranks of the world's hungry last year - bringing the total to 925 million.