CAIRO – Despite the instability since the revolution, it is unacceptable for a big country like Egypt to ignore the famine in the Horn of Africa. This disaster is the result of a two-year drought – the worst in decades – in a region stretching from Somalia to Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti, where more than 10 million people are threatened with starvation. If post-revolution Egypt is really eager to restore its good relations with Africa, now is the time, by helping the starving people in war-torn Somalia and the refugee camps on the borders of Ethiopia and Kenya. According to UN reports, the famine has forced around 25 per cent of the Somali population to flee to aid camps where they hope they can get food from international aid agencies. The world's largest refugee camp, Dabaab, is situated on the border between Somalia and Kenya. An estimated 1,300 people are arriving there every day, escaping the starvation and violence that haunts Somalia. There are an estimated 370,000 people in this camp, putting pressure on aid agencies. Egypt is suffering economic hardship, but it could take the initiative by encouraging the Arab world to buy food and medicines for the refugees in the camps in Ethiopia and Kenya and the governments of countries reeling from the drought and famine. Egypt's schools of medicine could organise caravans to take medicines to the poor people in the camps. Standing by our African brothers and sisters in their time of need is the best way to restore Egypt's good name in these communities and to convince them that Egypt is a big sister whose interests will never clash with theirs.
