Dr Ngeri Lencho  said the Ethiopian government has officially  declared  the number of people who are affected by the drought  and the exact number of people that would need emergency food aid.

The government is providing the emergency food aid for 4.7 million people as per the need by itself and the other 1.7 people are supported by World Food Programme, Said the Minster.

Dr Ngeri further explained that the rest 1.4 million drought affected people are being supported by  Catholic Charity Aid agency.

UN’s World Food Programme declared to its donors which puts the number at  7.8 million people affected by drought would be left without food assistance  while the number  is down  to 1.7 million people who are supposed to get assistances from WFP.

According to the Communication Minster   the recent media report that asserts that “emergency food aid will run out by end of this Month “is unfounded.

The WFP is mainly supported by USAID and European countries.

As the United States  has not allocated budget for  WFP , the Organization  feared that there would be a risk of food shortage that might hamper  its  services  and declared  overall  number  as 7.8 million people affected.

The Minster said 1.7 million people   affected by the drought would receive new help either from donors or the government.

The Ethiopian Disaster and Risk Management Commission told to media that the government will expect the donor community to step in to fill that gap and hopeful.

But if they fail to do that, the government is ready and will have to use some of its development budget to provide emergency assistance to its people.