20 Million Face Hunger in Southern African Countries

A new wave of drought has left millions of people facing hunger in Southern African nations suffering from extreme weather. A few months ago, the region experienced tropical storms and deadly floods, and Zambia and Malawi have declared a national disaster due to the drought, with Zimbabwe likely on the verge of doing the same. At a food distribution site deep in rural Zimbabwe, relief teams recently provided assistance to about 2,000 people. It is estimated that around 20 million people in the region need aid, many of whom may simply not receive it. UNICEF reported that "approximately 9 million people, half of whom are children, need assistance in Malawi, and more than 6 million people in Zambia, including 3 million children, are affected by the drought." This represents nearly half of Malawi's population and 30% of Zambia's population, respectively. In this context, UNICEF Regional Director Eva Kadhili stated, "It is unfortunate that extreme weather is expected to become the norm in East and Southern Africa in the coming years."