Urgent Call for $2 Billion Aid as Zimbabwe Declares State of Disaster due to Devastating Drought

Zimbabwe has declared a state of disaster due to a devastating drought in southern Africa, causing over 80% of the country to receive below normal rainfall.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called for $2 billion in humanitarian assistance, stating that the country’s top priority is securing food for all Zimbabweans.

The El Nino-induced drought has caused the worst drought in decades, with over 60% of Zimbabwe’s 15 million people living in rural areas. The United Nations’ World Food Program has already launched a food assistance program targeting 2.7 million Zimbabweans, nearly 20% of the population.

Zimbabwe, once a regional agricultural powerhouse and grain exporter, has been increasingly relying on aid agencies to prevent mass hunger due to extreme weather conditions. The country faces a food cereal deficit of nearly 680,000 metric tonnes of grain, which will be bridged by imports.