The devastating effects of an El Niño-induced drought are causing havoc across Southern Africa, with 68 million people—17% of the region’s population—in desperate need of aid, according to the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Elias Magosi, SADC’s executive secretary, shared this alarming figure during a meeting of heads of state in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, where leaders gathered to address the crisis and broader regional concerns.
Magosi highlighted that the 2024 rainy season has been particularly challenging, with delayed and insufficient rainfall exacerbating the situation. Countries such as Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi have declared a hunger crisis, calling it a state of disaster, while Lesotho and Namibia have appealed for urgent humanitarian support. Earlier in the year, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported that Southern Africa experienced its driest February in 40 years, placing as many as 50 million people at risk of food insecurity.
This drought, one of the worst in recent years, is a result of the natural El Niño phenomenon combined with the rising temperatures caused by climate change. The warming waters of the eastern Pacific have disrupted global weather patterns, significantly reducing crop and livestock production throughout the region and triggering food shortages that threaten entire economies.
In response to the worsening situation, SADC launched a $5.5 billion humanitarian appeal in May, yet the amount raised has fallen drastically short of the region’s needs. Angola’s President, Joao Lourenco, SADC’s outgoing chair, urged regional and international partners to increase their efforts to provide much-needed support.
As the drought continues to ravage Southern Africa, the call for global solidarity grows louder, as millions struggle to survive in the face of severe food insecurity and economic hardship.
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