In August 2010, early warning systems predicted the 2011 drought in the Horn of Africa, yet there was an insufficient response by national governments, donors, NGOs, and the UN, till people began to die. This is the conclusion made by aid agencies Oxfam International and Save the Children in a joint paper, titled A Dangerous Delay. The paper calls on all actors to review their approach to drought risk reduction, undertake preventative work on the basis of forecasts and endorse the Charter to End Extreme Hunger. Although the paper correctly calls on the international community to review its approach to humanitarian crises, it fails to list concrete actions that actors should take.
By Debbie Hillier and Benedict Dempsey
January 18, 2012
To view the paper, click here.
