Switzerland provides aid to drought-hit Madagascar
Madagascans waiting for food relief due to severe drought in Taolagnaro, Madagascar.
Keystone / Tsiory Andriantsoarana Handout
The money will go towards providing food, water and sanitation as the south of the country faces a humanitarian crisis due to poor rainfall.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/ac
Of the CHF1 million ($1.1 million) in aid provided by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), half will go to the United Nations World Food Programme. The other half will go to the SDC-run relief organisation Swiss Humanitarian Aid that will focus on meeting water and sanitation needs.
“The SDC and the Swiss embassy on the ground will continue to monitor the situation and take further relief measures as needed,” said an official statement released on Tuesday.
More than one million people in southern Madagascar are suffering from food scarcity due to a failure of the rains. It is the worst drought the country has faced in a decade. A lack of jobs due to Covid-19 restrictions has increased the precarity of the people.
It is estimated that a third of the population in these regions will become dependent on humanitarian aid by May. The worsening situation has forced the authorities in Madagascar to launch an appeal for international aid.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Documentary portrays Swiss teenagers forced to return to parents’ homeland
Swiss political class divided over reform of EU asylum pact
This content was published on
As a result of the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact, Switzerland must adapt five laws linked to the Schengen/Dublin agreements.
AI can reduce the number of animals needed for research
This content was published on
Swiss researchers have developed a new, AI-supported method that analyses the behaviour of mice in the laboratory more efficiently.
Geneva Conventions conference on Middle East scheduled for March 2025
This content was published on
The conference on the Middle East of the 196 States party to the Geneva Conventions, organised by Switzerland, will take place in Geneva in March.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Fifty years of Madagascar aid reaches end
This content was published on
With the end of the SAHA rural development programme set for December 31, 2012, the challenge will be to ensure the continuing durability of activities initiated by the Swiss when financial support is reduced to around SFr1.5 million ($1.85 million) a year. “Officially, we’re leaving at the end of 2012, but we hope to keep…
This content was published on
International donors pulled out of the country following a coup in 2009 and health and education services have suffered. Organisations like the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have stepped in to address the urgent needs in sexual, reproductive and maternal health. Today, three-quarters of the population live on under $1 per day. Women continue to…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.