IV
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 316
Concerning efforts to avert drought and famine in Africa, particularly
Ethiopia.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 3, 2000
Mr. PAYNE (for himself and Mr. CAMPBELL) submitted the following concur-
rent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International
Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Concerning efforts to avert drought and famine in Africa,
particularly Ethiopia.
Whereas the conditions in southern Ethiopia are extremely
close to a famine and famine-like conditions are plaguing
Somalia, Kenya, and Eritrea;
Whereas, in Konso, malaria has affected women, men, and
children;
Whereas irrigation is a rarity and almost 90 percent of farm-
ing in Ethiopia depends entirely on rainfall;
Whereas Ethiopia’s Disaster Preparedness and Prevention
Commission appealed for help 16 months ago when cycli-
cal droughts arose due to global weather disturbances;
•HCON 316 IH
Whereas the Ethiopian Government has requested 836,800
tons of emergency food aid to assist an estimated 7.7
million people;
Whereas the most severe drought conditions are in the town
of Gode where carcasses of dead livestock lie in the
streets;
Whereas hundreds of thousands may die from malnutrition
and malnutrition-related illnesses;
Whereas the United Nations estimates that more than 16
million people are threatened by food shortages in Ethi-
opia and the Greater Horn of Africa;
Whereas a third of Africans live without enough water;
Whereas the United Nations World Food Program reported
that an extended dry spell with only scattered rains dur-
ing May and June is likely to slash crop and livestock
production, further weakening the region’s already pre-
carious food situation;
Whereas in many parts of Africa, water supplies are insuffi-
cient to meet current or expected future demand during
certain times of the year;
Whereas Ethiopia’s demand for water can be attributed to
the doubling of its population, which in the last 15 years
has increased to 63 million;
Whereas the River Nile basin states (ICCON) will promulgate
a 15-point document that lays out the basic principles
upon which those 10 nations will act in common con-
cerning the Nile River;
Whereas in order to achieve the shared goals of ensuring food
security and preventing famine, African nations must be
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knowledgeable concerning sustainable use of natural re-
sources; and
Whereas growing populations and changing values are placing
increasing demands on existing water supplies, resulting
in water use conflicts: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) congratulates the Administration for pro-
viding up to 500,000 metric tons of food through
private voluntary organizations (PVO’s), coopera-
tives, and international organizations such as the
World Food Program (WFP);
(2) congratulates the Administration for pro-
viding a $7 million annual program for a Famine
Early Warning System;
(3) urges the Agency for International Develop-
ment to provide emergency food assistance under
Public Law 480, including wheat, rice, corn, and
sorghum;
(4) encourages the Agency for International
Development to provide farmer-to-farmer assistance
under programs that fund technical assistance to
improve food production and distribution and im-
prove farming and marketing in eligible countries;
(5) congratulates the Ethiopian Government for
going on the open market to provide 100,000 metric
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tons of food to the southern region of Ethiopia from
the food surplus region in the western part of the
country;
(6) strongly encourages international humani-
tarian organizations to provide wheat to the needed
regions;
(7) calls on the President to work with the
international community to provide funding for
dams, irrigation systems, and wells to provide clean
drinking water;
(8) encourages increased water conservation,
water quality enhancement, and more efficient use of
water supplies to meet increased demands on water
resources;
(9) encourages international humanitarian or-
ganizations to provide grain to the southern region
of Ethiopia;
(10) suggests that food aid be distributed in
Ethiopia before the long rains which occur in the
July/August period;
(11) strongly urges the Nile Basin countries to
engage in cooperative efforts for achieving a just
share of the Nile waters for irrigation and water re-
sources; and
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(12) supports increased planning and initiatives
by the Nile Basin Initiative secretariat to promote
the proper use of the River Nile and to alleviate pov-
erty in the region.
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