Conflict and Crisis in the Horn of Africa

By Cassidy Regan on 08/12/2011 @ 10:00 AM

Tags: Peaceful Prevention

The Senate Subcommittee on African Affairs’ recent hearing on responding to famine in the Horn of Africa reiterated just how devastating – and pervasive – the effects of long-term conflict can be.

During a hearing held last week in response to the worsening conditions in East Africa, representatives from the Senate, State Department, USAID, and three NGOs emphasized the nature of the food crisis as one with complex political and environmental roots. As the challenges to delivering immediate assistance and building long-term resilience within communities were discussed, each panelist stressed the debilitating impact of conflict on achieving sustainable food security.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs Don Yamamoto stated that efforts to respond to the famine (which has now been declared in five regions of Somalia) have been severely hindered by “continuing instability” – particularly given the lack of access to areas dominated by al-Shabaab, a militant jihadist group currently fighting to overthrow Somalia’s transitional government. But while humanitarian assistance policies from the group have been inconsistent, panelist Dr. Peter Pham of the Michael S. Ansari Africa Center noted that both sides party to the violence are responsible for exacerbating the famine’s severity. (Recent articles have also exposed the increased U.S. military involvement in the deadly conflict.)

Still, panelists stressed that efforts to distribute food aid, prevent illness, and provide refuge for those displaced have saved thousands of lives thus far. Nancy Lindborg of USAID testified as to how the Famine Early Warning Systems Network allowed the pre-positioning of resources over the past year, resulting in outreach to millions and significantly higher resilience than may have otherwise been seen in Kenya and Ethiopia. She further discussed the projects of Feed the Future, an initiative focused on addressing the "root causes of hunger and under nutrition." Jeremy Konyndyk of MercyCorps likewise commended the efforts of many emergency responders in U.S. agencies – but also noted the importance of increased resources to continue and expand their work.

While the immediate priority of reaching communities at risk remains clear, it’s also essential to consider the long-term dangers revealed by the food crisis. If history is any indication, drought cycles will only continue to perpetuate in the region – and, if left unaddressed, so will the deadly conflicts and deaths that follow them. (For a report from the World Food Programme on the connections between food insecurity and violent conflict, follow this link.)

The severity of the current crisis demonstrates just how important investment in building sustainable food security – and sustainable peace – is. With the Famine Early Warning System comes yet another demonstration that tools of prevention do indeed exist – and that, if given sufficient resources, an ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure. As the harsh budget climate of the appropriations process continues, the United States has the opportunity to shift its foreign policy priorities towards those that will help to promote equity, sustainability, and peace in the long-term.

Stay tuned for more opportunities to urge your representatives to invest in programs that will help save lives and sustain our world’s communities. For information on donations to organizations providing humanitarian assistance in the Horn of Africa, follow this link.