ADDIS ABABA, Feb 9 (NNN-ENA) – The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, called for intensified international efforts, to deal with a locust outbreak, that has affected large parts of the African continent.
“The UN issued an urgent appeal for assistance, to respond with speed and generosity, to ensure an effective response and control the infestation, while we still have the chance,” Guterres said, on the sidelines of the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU, in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) disclosed that, the Horn of Africa (HoR) region, is the worst desert locust affected area, from the three hot-spots of threatening locust activity, globally.
According to FAO, the increasing desert locust swarms in Ethiopia and Somalia, continued to migrate into Kenya, where they spread to 14 northern, central and southwest counties, reaching within 200 km of northeast Uganda and southeast South Sudan.
Guterres said, the locust swarms affecting many parts of Africa are unprecedented in size and scope, with climate change playing a big part in aggravating the locust crisis.
“Today locust swarms are as big as major cities, and it’s getting worse by the day. There is also a link between climate change and the unprecedented locust crisis plaguing Ethiopia and East Africa.
The desert locust (schistocerca gregaria), which is considered as the most dangerous, of the nearly one dozen species of locusts, is a major food security peril in desert areas across 20 countries, stretching from west Africa, all the way to India, covering nearly 16 million square kilometres, according to the UN.– NNN-ENA
