ADDIS ABABA, June 12 (Xinhua) -- The adverse effect of climate change is further worsening the existing "widespread food insecurity" in the East Africa region, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Workneh Gebeyehu has said.
Gebeyehu made the call in his address at the 14th Ordinary Assembly of the IGAD Heads of State and Government, which was held in Djibouti on Monday.
Gebeyehu told regional leaders attending the summit that the majority of natural disasters and humanitarian situations in the region are results of environmental degradation, climate change, and extreme weather patterns, particularly the drought-flooding cycle.
He said before the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine and more recently in Sudan, one of the eight IGAD member countries, the world was recording a higher number of climate refugees than conflict refugees.
"In spite of being one of the regions that produces the lowest carbon emissions in the world, the IGAD region is nevertheless one of the most affected by climate change," Gebeyehu said.
"Climate change is adding to the already significant burdens of population displacement and widespread food insecurity that our region already carries," he added.
Gebeyehu further called on all IGAD member states to embrace and incorporate the IGAD Disaster Response Strategy and its critical elements in their national disaster response plans, particularly for borderland areas.
Based in Djibouti, IGAD member states include Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
