Drought emergencies in Ethopia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana

"Despite the rapidly changing skylines of Ethiopia’s modernising cities, about 80 percent of its population still subsist on rain-dependant agriculture."

Ethiopia’s government has mitigated much of the fallout of the country's worst drought for decades — but on closer inspection the situation on the ground remains precarious

So reports James JEFFREY from Afar and Tigray regions in Ethiopia for FRANCE24 today. The success of the Ethopian government in averting a full-scale catastrophe has lulled outsiders into assuming that the country is doing okay in facing its worst drought in a half century. That's not the case Jeffrey explains.

From the BBC today:

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has declared a state of disaster in rural parts of the country hit by a drought.

An estimated 2.4 million people are now in need of food aid, more than a quarter of the population.

The announcement comes days after the EU urged Mr Mugabe to declare a state of disaster so donors can raise money quickly to provide food aid.

The government has urged Zimbabweans not to panic, as it is importing maize from neighbouring Zambia.

The United Nations World Food Programme has said some 14 million people face hunger in southern Africa because of a drought that has been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

South Africa, Namibia and Botswana have also been badly hit.

[END REPORT]