Joined in spirit by the 28 million in East Africa who are in need of aid, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) held a hearing today looking at what can, and what must, be done to help resolve the famine in East Africa. The famine, caused by drought and exacerbated by conflict and government mismanagement, has sparked fears of a return to the era of great famines in the region.

     “The number of individuals who are affected is truly staggering, 1 in 10 are affected in Sudan and Burundi, 1 in 5 in Somalia and Djibouti—and almost half of everyone living in South Sudan is facing severe food insecurity,” said Smith, Chairman of the House Panel on Africa.

     “The problem is compounded by strife throughout the region. Uganda, itself struggling with the effects of drought, currently has as many as 3,000 South Sudanese a week crossing the border due to an ongoing civil war,” he said. Click Here to read Smith’s Full Statement.

     Humanitarian concerns are often delayed or outright blocked by the regimes in the area. In 2011, then-U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice called Eritrea a “black hole in terms of governance” and remarked that Eritreans “are being left to starve” by the government thanks to a policy of “self-reliance,” a policy the country still has in effect. Due to decades of state collapse, Somalia’s young government has only limited capacity to respond to the crisis. In Sudan, despite above-average harvests this year, 3.3 million individuals who reside in Darfur require assistance due to government intervention.

     “In 2011, we struggled with how to get humanitarian aid to those in Somalia who lived in areas controlled by al-Shabaab,” said Smith. “That problem has not been eliminated six years later.  In 2017, not only is the ongoing conflict in Somalia hampering humanitarian efforts there, but the continuing civil conflict in South Sudan has amplified the impact of the drought.”

     “The term ‘famine,’ like the term ‘genocide,’ should not be used lightly,” said Smith. “Somali children in the womb won’t have enough nourishment to complete their growth in utero.  Most—if not all—will be born stunted, which will be made worse by their continuing lack of nutrition once born.  Their mothers will be severely weakened and may not survive childbirth.  All of them will have damaged immune systems and will be susceptible to diseases such as cholera or acute diarrhea and may die a preventable death.”

     Matt Nims, Acting Director of the Office of Food for Peace, Bureau of Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance at USAID, explained that famines can mean more than just hunger, “When we think of famine we naturally think of food, but the provision of safe drinking water, emergency health care and proper sanitation and hygiene are equally critical during these crises to battle opportunistic illnesses like cholera and diarrhea. Hunger weakens people’s immune systems, leaving them susceptible to these often largely preventable and treatable afflictions; in situations of extreme food insecurity and famine, they can turn deadly.” Click Here to read Nims’ Full Statement.

     Ken Isaacs, Vice President of Programs and Government Relations at Samaritan’s Purse, warned that famine can often spark other security issues, “This isn’t just a matter of compassion. Food insecurity only brings further instability and insecurity to areas already plagued by conflict. When people are starving, governments are undermined and the situation supports the brutality of the brutal.” Click Here to read Issacs’ Full Statement

     Michael Bowers, Vice President of Humanitarian Leadership and Response at Mercy Corps, highlighted how prevention can often be the most cost effective method of fighting famine, “I would like to stress to this subcommittee the fact that we can prevent and mitigate food security crises. It’s also extremely cost effective: a study by the British government in Kenya and Ethiopia estimates that every $1 invested in resilience will result in $2.90 in reduced humanitarian spending, avoided losses and development benefits.” Click Here to read Bowers’ Full Statement.

     Thabani Maphosa, the Vice President for Food Assistance and Senior Director for Food Security and Livelihoods at World Vision, underscored the ripple effect famine can have throughout the region, “As communities migrate, millions of children are forced to leave school, putting their education, careers and dreams on hold. As families’ exhaust coping mechanisms, children become more vulnerable to hazardous child labor, child marriage, trafficking, and recruitment in armed forces and other groups.” Click Here to read Maphosa’s Full Statement.

     Faustine Wabwire, Senior Foreign Assistance Policy Advisor at Bread for the World Institute, noted that with action, the effects of the famine can be mitigated, “Lessons from the 2011 famine have helped strengthen data systems so that officials can assess the crisis more accurately. Humanitarian partners now have a better system in place to get people help in forms they can immediately use.” Click Here to read Wabwire’s Full Statement.

     In the last Congress, Smith held nine hearings on East African issues. As with the September 2011 hearing on the last East Africa famine, Smith intends to follow up this hearing with discussions on how to make U.S. humanitarian assistance more effective in the midst of recurring droughts and ongoing conflicts in East Africa and other regions.

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