Assistant-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya’s closing remarks at the High-Level Round Table on the Horn of Africa drought

Hybrid, 26 April 2022

As delivered

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

Many thanks to all for your participation and equally important for your patience and understanding around the time delays. I am pleased to announce that today donors have pledged close to US$1.4 billion by 21 donors for Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

This includes funding for humanitarian and development activities for 2022 and beyond. We also thank you for your unearmarked funding for the humanitarian response, for Country-Based Pooled Funds and the Central Emergency Response Fund.

These announcements will enable humanitarian organizations to scale up life-saving assistance for the most vulnerable people across this region.

You have shown solidarity that you are not willing to stand by as their suffering unfolds – that you remain committed to be part of the solution.

We count on you to disperse these pledges quickly – we have no time to waste. People across the Horn of Africa have already suffered too much, as you have heard.

There is a Swahili saying: Elfu huanzia moja - a thousand begins with one. Today is just the beginning and I hope that your commitments made here will inspire others to get on board.

And with that, I thank you once again and will close this high-level round table.