Press Release: Famine in Ethiopia

The European Commission is very concerned about the threat of famine in the Horn of Africa, in particular in Ethiopia. The chronic shortage of food has been aggravated by lack of rain. As in the past, the Commission will continue to provide necessary assistance to those in need of food. Since the beginning of the year the Commission has allocated 225.000 tons of food aid to Ethiopia of which shipments of 32.000 tons have been brought forward to April/May 2000. At present, further food shipments are programmed and additional commitments are being made.