Famine could kill hundreds of thousands in Somalia
Hundreds of thousands of people in Somalia may die in the next few months if urgent action is not taken to address the threat of famine, Britain's envoy for the Horn of Africa has warned.
Sir Nicholas Kay told a United Nations briefing that the British Government is organising a conference on Somalia in London in May, but he said that "action is needed immediately".
He said: "If by the time the conference in May happens we are having to sound the alarm and discuss the famine issue, that is going to be too late. There may be hundreds of thousands of people dead or about to die."
Somalia faced famine in 2010-2011 and is now experiencing a nationwide drought.
The UN says five million people need humanitarian assistance.
AP
