Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the East and Horn of Africa in (a) preparing for future droughts, (b) building more resilient systems and (c) ending exacerbating factors such as conflict.

The humanitarian situation across East Africa and the Horn of Africa is extremely concerning. Conflict and drought are the main causes of humanitarian need with tens of millions of people affected.

Our response to the current drought builds on long-established resilience building programmes in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. In Kenya this includes support to the Hunger Safety Programme, which has provided 600,000 people in drought prone areas with regular financial assistance. In Ethiopia, the UK funded Productive Safety Net Programme has benefitted some 8 million people via financial welfare provision and community public works projects. In Somalia the UK has been supporting over 220 rural communities in three large urban cities through sustainable initiatives targeting internally displaced persons. These programmes, coupled with additional investments we have made in more drought resilient infrastructure, have enabled the UK to reach nearly 8 million people. The UK is also committed to promoting peace and security across the Horn of Africa. In Ethiopia, for example, through the 'Civil Society Support Programme' the UK funded efforts to: promote good governance; strengthen citizen accountability; challenge societal attitudes on gender-based violence.