Staff Reporter
DROUGHT refugees numbering in excess of 10 000 have swarmed into northern areas of Namibia are from Huíla, Cunene, Namibe, and Cuando Cubango provinces in Angola.
Namibian Ambassador to Angola, Patrick Nandago, said that the people from these provinces have sought refuge in Namibia as a result of the reigning drought.
“Angolans living in the border provinces with Namibia are experiencing food and water shortages due to the persistent drought. The refugees show signs of severe malnutrition especially among children,” he said adding that the number is growing daily.
The World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations recently stated that hunger in Angola was on the rise because of the drought which the agency described as the worst in 40 years.
According to the WFP, Angola experienced below-average rainfall in the provinces of Cuanza Sul, Benguela, Huambo, Namibe, and Huíla.
“The situation is not expected to improve in the coming months,” the agency said in its statement.
The WFP is extremely concerned about chronic food insecurity and malnutrition rates in the worst affected areas. Water supply has diminished which in turn had a severe impact on crops with losses of up to 40 percent and livestock dying out because of a lack of grazing.
The UN agency also acknowledged that the severe drought has given rise to migratory movements from the most affected across the border with Namibia.
