Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.
Sheikh Qassem: The government’s latest decision [on the disarmament of the Resistance] is non-charter-based, and if the government continues down this path, it is not faithful to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Southern African drought affecting close to 68 million: SADC

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 17 Aug 2024 21:03
3 Min Read

Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi have already declared the hunger crisis a disaster, while Namibia and Lesotho have requested humanitarian assistance.

Listen
  • x
  • Southern African drought affecting close to 68 million: SADC
    James Tshuma, a farmer in Magwe district in southwestern Zimbabwe, stands in the middle of his dried up crop field amid a drouhght, in Zimbabwe on March 22, 2024. (AP)

An El Nino-induced drought has wiped out crops across Southern Africa, affecting around 68 million people, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional group announced on Saturday.

The drought, which began in early 2024, has hampered crop and livestock output, resulting in food shortages and harming the overall economy.

Addressing regional challenges such as food security, heads of state from the 16-nation SADC met in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare.

According to SADC executive secretary Elias Magosi, around 68 million people, or 17% of the region's population, require help.

Magosi said, "The 2024 rainy season has been a challenging one with most parts of the region experiencing negative effects of the El Nino phenomenon characterized by the late onset of rains."

The southern part of the continent is undergoing its most severe drought in years, caused by a mix of naturally occurring El Nino, which occurs when the eastern Pacific's waters warm abnormally, changing global weather patterns, and higher average temperatures caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi have already declared the hunger crisis a disaster, while Namibia and Lesotho have requested humanitarian assistance.

Related News

26 million people in Sudan are 'one step away from famine': UN

Gaza airdrops take huge effort, don’t solve hunger crisis: WSJ

The region issued a plea in May for $5.5 billion in humanitarian assistance to help with the drought crisis, but funds have yet to arrive, according to departing SADC chair Joao Lourenco, President of Angola.

Lourenco told the summit that the amount mobilized is "unfortunately below the estimated amounts and I would like to reiterate this appeal to regional and international partners to redouble their efforts... to help our people who have been affected by El Nino,"

The drought is a prominent topic of discussion at this year's summit, as is the ongoing fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which Lourenco described as a cause of considerable worry.

1 mln children in DR Congo at risk of famine due to years of conflict

Last month, the World Health Organization warned that over one million children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are facing a risk of acute malnutrition, adding that this was the result of increasing food insecurity after years of conflict.

WHO called the situation “catastrophic” and said that it is overwhelming water and sanitation systems, which, in turn, is leading to disease outbreaks like cholera, measles, and pox.

Environmental disasters like severe flooding and landslides, in addition to long-simmering conflicts, have left people's needs in the country soaring.

Amid escalating violence and displacement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, hunger & malnutrition are spiking.@UNICEF is providing vital assistance to vulnerable families, transforming lives and restoring hope. https://t.co/w1hxq3RKui pic.twitter.com/bMF7HxHJ59

— United Nations (@UN) May 27, 2024

According to WHO, the African nation with over 25 million people impacted has the world’s highest number of people in need of humanitarian aid amid severe underfunding. 

It noted that aid is "severely constrained by military presence around displacement sites and health facilities, bureaucratic impediments, and roadblocks disrupting aid delivery," as it urged immediate action and “sustained and unimpeded access” to basic needs while calling on parties to work together to restore peace.

  • Hunger crisis
  • global warming
  • South Africa
  • Africa
  • Drought

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Displaced Palestinians walk through a makeshift camp along the beach in Gaza City, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)

Hamas, other factions accept Egypt-Qatar ceasefire proposal: Exclusive

  • Politics
  • 18 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS