The Spillover of Sudan's War into Eastern Chad

 The International Crisis Group posted on 10 April 2025 a 7-minute video in French (with English subtitles) titled "The Spillover of Sudan's War into Eastern Chad" by Charles Bouessel.

The video is accompanied by a photo essay by Charles Bouessel with commentary in English.

The one million refugees from Sudan are placing an immense strain on Chad's isolated and impoverished eastern provinces.  The population of one of the provinces has increased by 60 percent over the past two years.  

Somalia on Verge of Famine

 The Washington Post published on 7 September 2022 an article titled "Somalia Is On the Verge of Famine While the World Looks Away" by Ishaan Tharoor.

UN officials predict that famine will hit parts of Somalia between October and December.  More than half of Somalia's population is already in need of food assistance.  

Drought in Horn of Africa Hits Children Hard

 UNICEF published on 28 April 2022 a press release titled "UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell Visits Drought-impacted Somali Region in Ethiopia and Calls for an Immediate Scaled-up Response to Save the Lives of Millions of Children."

Three failed consecutive rainy seasons in parts of Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, and Somalia have caused one of the worst droughts in decades.  One of the most impacted areas is Somali region of Ethiopia.  Some 10 million children need urgent life-saving support.  

Famine-like Conditions in Ethiopia's Tigray Region

 The Associated Press published on 20 April 2022 an article titled "Report: Hunger Kills Hundreds of Kids in Ethiopia's Tigray."

The UN reports that more than 90 percent of Tigray's population requires humanitarian assistance, although most are not receiving it. About 700,000 people face "famine-like conditions."  At least 1,900 children under 5 have died from malnutrition.  

Ethiopia: Acute Malnutrition in Tigray Region

 The April 2022 edition of The Lancet published a comment titled "Saving Children from Man-made Acute Malnutrition in Tigray, Ethiopia: A Call to Action" by Afework Mulugeta and Mulugeta Gebregziabher.  

The article states that thousands of civilians are facing man-made starvation and millions more acute food insecurity.  The sharp increase in the prevalence of acute malnutrition and household food insecurity is a direct consequence of the humanitarian aid blockade and the destruction of food sources stemming from the civil war.  

Collapse of Health Care in Ethiopia's Tigray Region

 Ethiopia Insight posted on 24 February 2021 a commentary titled "The Health Crisis in Ethiopia's War-ravaged Tigray" by Fisaha Tesfay, Deakin University, and Hailay Gesesew, Flinders University in Australia.

Drawing on reports released by UNICEF, WHO, and Medecines sans Frontieres, the authors conclude that 85-90 percent of health centers and hospitals in Tigray Region are no longer functional because of destruction and looting due to war.

Climate Change Exacerbates Conflict in Somalia

The Institute for Security Studies published on 6 April 2018 an analysis titled "Climate Change Is Feeding Armed Conflict in Somalia" by Giovanna Kuele, Igarape Institute, and Ana Cristina Miola, University of Applied Sciences of Cologne, Germany.

The authors argue that over the past decade climate change-related desertification has expanded in Somalia, making the local population even more vulnerable. Climate change feeds armed conflict in Somalia by exacerbating tensions between clans; boosting the ranks and role of terrorist groups, including al-Shabaab; and increasing migration.

The Four Famines: Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) held on 6 September 2017 a conference on and published a Q and A titled "The Four Famines: The Alarm Bells Are Ringing, But Who Is Listening?" by Kimberly Flowers, CSIS director for the Global Food Security Project.

Almost 21 million people are at risk of starving in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan, and northeastern Nigeria. Where there are various explanations for the food shortages, all four potential famines have one thing in common: conflict.

Hundreds of Thousands Flee Drought in Somalia

Refugees International published in August 2017 a report titled "On the Edge of Disaster: Somalis Forced to Flee Drought and Near Famine Conditions" by Mark Yarnell and Alice Thomas.

More than 800.000 Somalis have been forced to flee their homes and villages in order to reach humanitarian aid. This report details the desperate circumstances of newly displaced families who have arrived in urban areas where assistance is available.

Hunger on the Somali Peninsula

The New York Times published on 12 August 2017 a commentary titled "This Is What Hunger Looks Like. Again," by Nuruddin Farah.

The author describes the return of drought, hunger, and famine to the Somali Peninsula. The situation has been exacerbated by the dysfunction of the Somali state and some impacted areas that remain under the control of al-Shabaab.

South Sudan: Health Implications of Armed Conflict

The Lancet published on 11 February 2017 a short article titled "South Sudan: Aftermaths of 3 Years of Armed Conflict" by Ahmed Abu-Zaid. The article identifies the negative health impacts, especially on children, of three years of internal armed conflict.

India-Africa Partnership for Food Security

The Observer Research Foundation (ORF), an Indian think tank, published on 23 June 2016 a study titled "India-Africa Partnership for Food Security: Issues, Initiatives and Policy Directions" by Malancha Chakrabarty and Vidisha Mishra, both at ORF.

The paper argues that there is a strong rationale for India-Africa collaboration on food security. India provides low-cost technology solutions, builds capacity, and offers improved seeds and agricultural machinery. The paper argues that India's interest in African agriculture is not driven by its domestic food security concerns. On the contrary, Africa is a huge market for India's growing food and agricultural sector.

Ethiopia: Avoiding Drought Disaster

The Washington Post published on 23 February 2016 a front page article titled "Trying to Hold Off Disaster" by Paul Schemm and Aida Muluneh.

Ethiopia is facing a devastating drought caused by the worst El Nino in a generation.  Aid agencies warn that food aid could run out as soon as May.  Famine can be avoided, however, if the international community steps in with adequate quantities of emergency food aid. 

Sudanese Refugees in Chad

Refugees International published on 9 July 2015 a report titled "Sudanese Refugees in Chad: Passing the Baton to No One" by Michael Boyce and Ann Hollingsworth. 

The authors report that in the face of dramatic food ration cuts, and after years of shrinking support from the international community, aid agencies are pushing these refugees to become self-sufficient and more deeply integrated with their Chadian hosts.  They argue that it is time for the international community to recommit itself to this long-suffering population, and to do so in a sustainable way.

The report is also available in French.