East Africa Famine Threatens Regional Stability, USAID Chief Says

Unrelenting drought in East Africa has put the region at risk for major famine. “Aid workers in East Africa have spent months gearing up for the looming crisis, thanks in part to an early-warning system operated by USAID [US Agency for International Development] that first predicted a round of devastating crop failures and food shortages late last year,” reports Joshua Hersh for the Huffington Post. Spiking food prices, climate change and unchecked population growth exacerbate shortages and prompt people to flee as refugees and migrants to wealthier nations. Food and water shortages could destabilize the troubled region. "This is happening precisely in a part of the world that our Defense Secretary Leon Panetta just said is a critical part of our fight against terrorism and our overall international security," Rajiv Shah, USAID administrator, was quoted in the article, underscoring the link between food security and national security. However, rain and relief are not anticipated until October. – YaleGlobal