Ethiopia, South Sudan appeal for urgent int'l aid to drought affected people

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn

Leaders of Ethiopia and South Sudan on Friday called upon the international community to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the drought affected people,A AP reports quoting Xinhua.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said, in his joint press conference with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, that "we, together with the president, call upon the international community to come very quickly and save lives in some parts of the horn of Africa region where famine is looming."

According to Hailemariam, the regional leaders have on Wednesday "discussed in Mogadishu on how to collaborate to tackle the problem of drought which has affected the entire Horn of Africa."

Hailemariam has also noted that the Horn of African countries will work together towards sharing resources to tackle the exiting drought.

The Ethiopian premier, however, indicated that "there is donor fatigue towards humanitarian support."

President Kiir, who is in Ethiopia for an official visit from February 23 to 25, said on the occasion that his country is already working with the international community in facilitating the relive work to persons affected and displaced by the ongoing conflict in South Sudan.

"The government of South Sudan will also work with the international community to direct the needed assistance to the affected populations in the drought areas," the president said. "There is no difference and we don't have any problem in facilitating the work of the humanitarian agencies that will be operating in our country."

A joint communique issued on Friday after the meeting of the two leaders also indicated that "alarmed by the danger of drought that has affected South Sudan and the region, the two leaders agreed to collaborate in doing all they could to avert the crisis."

"They called upon the international community and humanitarian agencies to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the affected people," the joint communique further indicated.