* YOU BEEN SNAP * YAWALETEENI ETHIOPIA NEWS" UK’s £38m aid boost to drought-hit Ethiopia in a bid to prevent famine"

*NKILETEWA HAPA NA FLORA LYIMO DESIGNER*

Britain is to increase its aid budget to drought-hit Ethiopia, a minister announced yesterday.
Some £38million will be sent to the African country as it battles to find enough food for the 1.3million who are starving as a result of the nation’s worst drought for a decade.
The money comes from the existing aid budget rather than from other areas of public expenditure. It will see the UK’s spend on Ethiopian aid rise by more than ten per cent from £330million to £368million.

Looming crisis: The Ethiopian Government has been urged to provide the latest numbers of those affected so relief can be targeted"

There has been growing criticism among Tory backbenchers about the fact that the Government’s aid budget is rising while other departments have seen huge reductions, forcing them to make cuts to front-line services.
Announcing the extra cash for the World Food Programme’s work in the country, International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said: ‘Through no fault of its own, the Horn of Africa is experiencing a severe drought caused by the failed rains.
‘Britain is acting quickly and decisively in Ethiopia to stop this crisis becoming a catastrophe. The country has made great strides in many areas over the past 30 years and this emergency relief will help to ensure that these gains are not eroded.’

Mr Mitchell urged the Ethiopian Government to provide latest numbers of those affected in the south of the country so relief could be targeted.
He also unveiled extra help for 329,000 malnourished children and treatment for mothers who are pregnant and breastfeeding.

Aid: Extra help will be given to 329,000 malnourished children and treatment for mothers who are pregnant and breastfeeding"

'The money cannot come soon enough': There are already critical and life-threatening food shortages in Ethiopia" OMG !!

Oxfam’s humanitarian director Jane Cocking welcomed the Government’s support. She said: ‘The money cannot come soon enough. There are already critical and life-threatening food shortages in Ethiopia.
‘Two successive poor rains have left millions of people struggling to get food as hundreds of thousands of livestock have died and crops have failed. Other donors now need to follow suit and increase funding before it is too late.’
Matt Wingate of Save the Children said: ‘Money pledged by the UK Government will mean that aid agencies can get life-saving help to hundreds of thousands more children and their families.
‘Our staff are receiving more and more children on the verge of starvation in our feeding centres every day. We urgently need other rich countries and donors to follow the UK Government’s lead and give money now so we can stop children dying across the region.’