Thu, 29 Sep 2016 09:19:27 +0000 GOVERNMENT has permitted the World Food Programme (WFP) to export 48,000 metric tonnes of maize to Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique for distribution through their humanitarian operations to render support to hunger stricken populations. Speaking during the flag-off ceremony of the relief consignment in Lusaka yesterday, Disaster Management Mitigation Unit (DMMU) national coordinator Patrick Kangwa disclosed that an estimated 40 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance in Southern Africa due to the severe El Nino induced drought and prolonged dry spells affecting the region. He noted that the drought was the worst of its kind in 35 years and that 23 million of the 40 million people in the region required immediate humanitarian assistance. Mr Kangwa said that the aid was as a result of a formal appeal for US$2.4 billion by the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) to support the humanitarian needs of the affected countries. […]
