Church leaders seek long-term solutions to Horn of Africa food crisis

From Christian Century-

Nairobi, Kenya, August 11 (ENInews)--Religious leaders say they are exploring short and long term strategies for communities to end reliance on food aid in Africa, as relief organizations continue to minister to thousands suffering from drought and famine in the Horn of Africa.

The worst drought in 60 years is affecting more than 12 million people in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia. Its epicentre is Somalia, where tens of thousands are fleeing to refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia.

"We would not only want to work on the immediate needs, but we are thinking, because this is becoming a chronic problem, we have got to see the root causes and fight it," Archbishop Ian Ernest of the Indian Ocean Province and the chairman of the Council of Anglican Province of Africa told a news conference on 10 August in Nairobi after a meeting of Anglican archbishops.

As he spoke, an average of 1,300 Somali migrants fleeing both civil unrest and famine daily continued to arrive at the Dadaab refugee camp in northern Kenya, which has become the world's largest camp -- a small city of tents in a dusty desert. The camp holds more than 400,000 migrants, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), with new arrivals being settled in rows of identical white tents, portable latrines and mobile health clinics.

More here-

http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2011-08/church-leaders-seek-long-term-solutions-horn-africa-food-crisis