Trade Ministry Donates to Drought Affected Areas

Apr 15 , 2023


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Drought-affected areas in Borena, Bale, Guji and Hararge areas of the Oromia Regional State embarked on assistance as the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MoTRI) contributed more than eight million Birr to the regional state a fortnight ago. The Ministry announced that in the past six months of the fiscal year, 1.75 billion dollars in revenue had been generated from the export sector. Agricultural exports accounted for 77.23pc of total exports while shipped manufacturing commodities brought in 176.7 million dollars. United Nations agencies working in disaster response and relief efforts have warned that the current drought engulfing the Horn of Africa region could be far worse than reported a decade ago. For several months authorities have been dispatching food assistance to residents in the Borena zone of the Oromia Regional State compelling the City administration, under Adanech Abiebie, to donate over 100 million Br. Last seen four decades ago, the current drought is expected to impact 36.5 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. It is feared to expose no less than 20 million of them to acute food insecurity. Failing to see rainy seasons for five consecutive years since 2018, the prevailing drought is more severe and could stay much longer.


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