AU Donates $200,000 to Zambia Amid Severe Drought Crisis
The African Union (AU) has presented a solidarity cheque of US$200,000 to the Zambian Government, as part of efforts to mitigate the devastating effects of the 2023/2024 drought.
The funds, approved by the AU Commission PRC-Sub Committee on Refugees, Returnees, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), come in response to President Hakainde Hichilema’s declaration of the drought as a national disaster on February 29, 2024.
The drought, worsened by El Niño weather conditions exacerbated by climate change, has affected 6.6 million people across Zambia, disrupting critical sectors such as agriculture, water, and energy supply.
With national food security at risk, President Hichilema launched an international appeal for humanitarian assistance, drawing the AU’s swift response.
His Excellency Ambassador Churchil Ewumbue-Monono of Cameroon, the AU’s Representative to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), handed over the cheque to the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).
Prior to the ceremony, Ambassador Ewumbue-Monono and his delegation visited Ms. Etambuyu Anamela Gundersen, Permanent Secretary for International Relations and Cooperation, to express the AU’s support.
Ambassador Ewumbue-Monono, who is leading an AU Humanitarian Assessment Mission to evaluate the drought’s impact, is scheduled to visit Lusaka Province, working closely with the DMMU.
Ms. Gundersen expressed her gratitude to the AU for its support during this critical time, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration in alleviating the effects of the disaster.
