Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has announced Australia will contribute more than $11 million to help African drought victims.
The UN says 12 million people are being affected by the worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in nearly 60 years.
Mr Rudd says the money will go to starving people in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Djibouti.
He says the UN has described the food shortages as the most severe humanitarian crisis in the world today.
“Australian assistance will help the World Food Program provide food for Somali and Sudanese refugees that have fled their homes for Kenya,” he said.
“It will support the UN Food and Agriculture organisation to help farmers in Somalia through livestock vaccinations and veterinary services.
“It will also improve access to food and health services in Somalia through a joint fund managed by the UN.”
Faced with starvation, tens of thousands of Somalis are fleeing their country every day and heading for Kenya and Ethiopia.
UN World Food Program spokesman David Orr says the agency is operating in all the affected areas.
“Somalia is obviously a particularly difficult one for us, and for all humanitarian organisations because of the conflict ongoing there,” he said.
“But we are reaching people in large numbers – six million people we’re feeding throughout the Horn of Africa at the moment – and we expect that to rise in coming months.”
Mr Rudd made the announcement in Hobart while delivering a lecture at the University of Tasmania.
