The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has warned that drought-affected areas in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya are likely to receive insufficient rainfall this year. It will mark a fifth consecutive failed rainy season, which falls between October and December and constitutes two-thirds of annual rainfall in the areas. The UN called drought facing large swathes of East Africa the "worst in four decades." The situation is likely to deteriorate in light of the latest forecast. Last month, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned the drought in Ethiopia's east and south could turn into a full-blown famine without immediate action. The agency says it is facing difficulties in sourcing financing and aid to back its humanitarian operations in the drought-stricken regions. It reports that severe acute malnutrition has risen sharply in these areas. There has been a 47pc increase in the Somali Regional State, according to UNICEF.
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