Ministerial meeting calls for urgent actions against locust invasion in East Africa

Addis Ababa, February 7, 2020 (FBC) –A ministerial meeting on desert locust has called for urgent actions against the worst locust invasion in the east African region.

The meeting, which was opened today in Addis Ababa at the Skylight hotel, attracted ministers from different countries and representatives from FAO and development partners.

During the meeting, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia were mentioned as countries worst hit by desert locust in the region. The swarms can also harm Eritrea and Sudan.

The locust swarms will continue to strike the east African region and could last until June 2020 in Ethiopia, it was noted.

The international development partners, therefore, need to join efforts to avert the grave consequences of the locust on the livelihoods of millions of smallholders in the region, said FAO.

The Ethiopia Government also reiterated FAO’s concern and called for assistance from international organizations to prevent further spread of locust.