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UN / GING HORN OF AFRICA
STORY: UN / GING HORN OF AFRICA
TRT: 02:57
SOURCE: UNIFEED-UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS
DATELINE: 29 OCTOBER 2015, NEW YORK CITY
RECENT
1. Aerial, exterior of the UN Headquarters
29 OCTOBER 2015, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Ging and spokesperson enter press room
3. Med shot, photographer
4. SOUNDBITE (English) John Ging, Director of the Operational Division at OCHA:
“In addition to the humanitarian suffering that has been experienced on a daily basis right across the whole region, a couple of themes come through. One is, of course, that it is a protracted conflict that is creating most of the humanitarian needs. The second is that this is now compounded by the oncoming effects of El Niño and these are already being felt across that sub-region as well.”
5. Wide shot, podium
6. SOUNDBITE (English) John Ging, Director of the Operational Division at OCHA:
“In spite all of the difficulties, both arising from conflict and also from the effects of El Niño, at the community level people have not lost hope. They have a tremendous resilience and it’s really inspiring to see how they are coping.”
7. Cutaway, reporters
8. SOUNDBITE (English) John Ging, Director of the Operational Division at OCHA:
“In Sudan, as we all know, this country has been bedeviled by conflict and crisis for many decades. In fact there are about 4.2 million people across the country that are food insecure, 1.2 million children under the age of five are acutely malnourished - that’s one of the highest figures in the world, a 3.1 million people across the country are internally displaced.”
9. Cutaway, reporters
10. SOUNDBITE (English) John Ging, Director of the Operational Division at OCHA:
“Sadly, in too many areas in spite of the recent peace agreement, conflict continues to rage on and it is very harrowing to hear what is happening particularly to women. In one of the worst affected areas in Unity State over sixteen hundred women have been abducted since May and for me that is alarming and fact that is also alarming is the fact that is not very well reported.”
11. Wide shot, podium
12. SOUNDBITE (English) John Ging, Director of the Operational Division at OCHA:
“3.2 million people across Somalia, which is almost a third of the population is in need of a food assistance, 250 000 children under the age of five acutely malnourished. And with ten humanitarian aid workers killed in 2015 and more than 40 abducted, this is a very, very dangerous and difficult place.”
13. Zoom out, end of press conference
The head of Operations at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, called for more help for people and communities who have faced years of crisis in Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia.
Ging travelled to the three countries from 18 to 25 October with representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the Netherlands.
While briefing reporters today in New Yorkon his journey to the countries of the Horn of Africa, Ging said that protracted conflicts compounded by the oncoming effects of El Niño, are the factors “creating most of the humanitarian needs” in that region of Africa.
Across East Africa, one of the most severe El Nino events on record is set to have a devastating impact in the next few months, causing an estimated 83 per cent increase in food insecurity by the start of 2016. The number in need of food assistance across the region is forecast to increase from 12 million at the start of 2015 to 22.1 million at the start of 2016, with flooding set to affect up to 3.5 million people.
People of the region however, do not give up.
Ging said “In spite all of the difficulties, both arising from conflict and also from the effects of El Niño, at the community level people have not lost hope. They have a tremendous resilience and it’s really inspiring to see how they are coping.”
On Sudan, OCHA’s Director said “this country has been bedeviled by conflict and crisis for many decades. In fact there are about 4.2 million people across the country that are food insecure, 1.2 million children under the age of five are acutely malnourished - that’s one of the highest figures in the world, a 3.1 million people across the country are internally displaced.”
In South Sudan, worsening violence has swept across the central region of the country over the past months, systematically targeting civilians.
According to OCHA, in Southern Unity state alone, some 1,600 women have been forcibly abducted since May, more than 1,000 civilians killed, 1,300 women and girls have been raped and more than 15,000 children have been recruited into armed groups.
Ging said “Sadly, in too many areas in spite of the recent peace agreement, conflict continues to rage on and it is very harrowing to hear what is happening particularly to women. In one of the worst affected areas in Unity State over sixteen hundred women have been abducted since May and for me that is alarming and fact that is also alarming is the fact that is not very well reported.”
In contrast, Somalia has seen a “significant progress” in several areas including security and state-building, but Ging warned that the country remains “a very, very dangerous and difficult place.”
These countries are some of the most dangerous in the world for humanitarian workers, with at least 10 aid workers killed in Somalia so far in 2015 and at least 34 killed in South Sudan since December 2013. Despite this, humanitarian workers continue to reach millions of people every month with lifesaving assistance.
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