EU donates 32 million euro food aid to Ethiopia

ADDIS ADABA, Aug 23 (Reuters) – The European Union has donated 32 million euros ($39 million) for food aid for Ethiopia which is facing its worst drought in more than 20 years, the U.N.’s World Food Programme said on Monday.

The money will be enough to buy 118,890 tonnes of cereals and other food to feed 3 million people for 10 weeks, the WFP’s Ethiopian office said.

The food will be distributed by the WFP.

Ethiopia has appealed for 880,000 tonnes of food aid to feed 7.2 million people in 2004.

But the WFP anticipates 8.6 million Ethiopians will need more than 1 million tonnes of food this year.

“This generous contribution from the European Commission will help us continue our assistance to millions of people affected by food shortages in many parts of Ethiopia,” said Georgia Shaver, the WFP’s director for Ethiopia.

The WFP said it had helped more than 5.4 million Ethiopians so far this year.