Malnutrition crisis spreading in Niger -Save The Children

Despite months of warnings from Oxfam, Save The Children, The United Nationas Food and Agtriculture FAO and other agencies there has been no concerted action to stave of the crisis caused by long term drought, crop shortages, rising food prices and insecurity in neighbouring countries which is worsened by regional conflict and refugees who add to the burden already suffered by countries like Niger.

Save The Children is launching an emergency appeal for Niger. They point out that the Niger government, unlike its predecessors acted early to tackle the problem with irrigation schemes and measures to help local farmers.

However, 80 per cent of the crops have failed and there is little money to buy food in local markets and medicines in Niger are becoming unaffordable.

USAID,Britain and the EU Commission have all contributed money but there has been a lack of international coordination to confront the growing problem. From a security standpoint the depopulation of Sahel countries can only threaten further disorder and unrest and possibly internal collapse as has been the case in Mali.

There is hope that President Obama's announcement et the G8 Conference at Camp David of a new alliance to focus on food security with African leaders and the private sector.He called on all sectors to be involved and referred specifically to the crisies in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel.He announced a $3bn  plan to boost food security and farm productivity in Africa.

"It's a moral imperative, it's an economic imperative and it's a security imperative," Mr Obama said. "'There is no reason why Africa cannot feed itself."
Gone are the days of  intervention by the major world powers and this is a sign of the effects of the global economic crisis. The joint effort to prevent large scale deaths and depopulation and a slide into terrorist dominanted regions needs a concerted approach. NGOs such as Save The Chrildren, Oxfam and FAO will not be able to achieve this on their own

Both Algeria and Morocco have both been sending food and medical supplies to the region.

Morocco has donated 50 tons of food and drugs to Burkina Faso to alleviate the suffering of Malian refugees in the West African country.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation spokesman said The Kingdom of Morocco continues to deliver humanitarian aid in favor of Malian refugees, after recently providing similar assistance to Malian nationals displaced in Mauritania, Niger and within the Republic of Mali.’

Morocco has expressed ‘deep concern’ over the deteriorating humanitarian and security situation of the displaced civilians from the north of Mali.