From July 22 through July 24, Administrator Samantha Power will travel to East Africa, a region where an unprecedented drought is pushing millions to the brink of starvation and where food insecurity is being further exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The trip follows Administrator Power’s announcement today of a nearly $1.3 billion surge in humanitarian and development assistance for the Horn of Africa to provide life-saving aid for the region where more than 18 million people are in need. Administrator Power will be urging the international community to rally resources to stave off mass starvation and deaths, particularly in the most-affected countries, which have an extreme risk of famine.
Administrator Power will meet with humanitarian partners, civil society and senior government officials to discuss U.S. support for drought response and the impacts of Russia’s war against Ukraine on food security.
During her trip, Administrator Power will visit communities grappling with the loss of crops and livestock and learn more about the impacts the drought has on water supply, health, and livelihoods. With an estimated seven million children suffering from severe malnutrition in the Horn of Africa, the Administrator will also visit a health facility providing integrated medical care and nutritional support and travel to a USAID supported emergency food distribution site.