The is coming. But will it arrive in time to save 3.5聽million people who the Somali foreign minister says may starve to death?
Today the , the Somali capital, for immediate distribution to the 40,000 refugees who have gathered there to escape the triple crisis of drought-aggravated famine, war and escalating food prices.
Since it was recommended by the World 91色情片 Organization in 2007 as the emergency food of choice for malnourished infants, 笔濒耻尘辫测鈥橬耻迟, manufactured by French company Nutriset, has become a staple of international famine relief. Children can eat it straight from the packet instead of having to be fed intravenously. Based on peanut butter, it contains sugar, vegetable fat, and skimmed milk powder enriched with vitamins and minerals.
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Now it鈥檚 at the heart of to address the in the Horn of Africa.
Proven best
St茅phane Doyon, a nutrition expert for the charity , says that sending is the best strategy to combat malnutrition in children rapidly. 鈥淚t鈥檚 proven to work best against severe malnutrition, especially in situations where you don鈥檛 have the flexibility to individualise interventions,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ased on clinical science and evidence, they contain the right blend of macro and micronutrients needed to rehabilitate children from severe malnutrition.鈥�
The crisis is particularly affecting Somalia itself and neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia, where refugees from Somalia are arriving at a rate of 1500 to 2000 per day, according to the UNHCR refugee agency. The UN today agreed that the long-term solution is to invest in the future of farming in the region, but the other, much more urgent priority is to save those close to death through starvation.
鈥淚t鈥檚 vital we reach those at the epicentre of the famine with food assistance, especially the highly fortified nutritious products that are so important for vulnerable children,鈥� WFP鈥檚 executive director said in a statement in Rome.
