[Nairobi Domestic Service in English 1300 GMT 30 Apr 91]

[Text] His Excellency, President Daniel arap Moi, today expressed deep concern over the enormous tragedy unfolding in the Horn of Africa and which he said could result in the worst massive famine ever. The president said that some 17 million people in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan, which have been severely effected by years of civil wars and recurrent drought, are now threatened with starvation and death.

President Moi noted that at the end of the cold war, the superpowers left the countries in the Horn of Africa in severe poverty and disorganisation, a state to which their early involvement may have contributed. He pointed out that two-thirds of the population in the region live below the poverty line, adding that most of the land is marginal and the little potential it has is not fully exploited. President Moi said that the state of poverty in the region and the competition for the sparse resources may have contributed to the conflict. The involvement of external forces may also have contributed to the state of poverty.

President Moi was addressing a news conference at State House, Nairobi. The president observed that most of those who suffer as a result of natural disasters (?and the wars) in the Horn of Africa are women and children. He added that half of the population in the subregion are children who have to struggle hard to survive to the age of five. He cited Ethiopia and Sudan, where he said the military expenditure exceeds that of education and health services, thus jeopardizing the future of children and obstructing development. The president lamented that in both countries there were five times as many soldiers as there are teachers.

President Moi said in 1989, half of Africa's 5 million refugees were located in the Horn, while large numbers of people were displaced and rendered destitute. He further said those who have been displaced within their own countries have had to seek refuge in Kenya and other countries, seeking survival and security.

President Moi said the problems in the Horn of Africa can no longer be ignored, as it was serious human tragedy involving loss of life, disablement, displacement, material destruction, social disintegration, and psychological suffering. He said Kenya, as a close neighbor with a long history of close ties with countries in the Horn of Africa, had a moral obligation to assist on humanitarian grounds. Noting that the crisis in the Horn of Africa was global, President Moi urged all people of goodwill to pay urgent attention and give support to curb it. He said urgent action could play a vital role in saving millions of lives.

The president called on world leaders to honor their pledges on the protection of children and their survival, to turn their attention to the Horn of Africa. He urged the international community to take note of the catastrophe now unfolding in the region and give humanitarian assistance to avoid massive numbers of deaths from famine.

President Moi at the same time called on international donor agencies to hold a conference on the Horn of Africa to assess the current situation and devise an appropriate solution. He also called on members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development, IGADD, to convene a special meeting to consider the urgent humanitarian issues affecting the region.

President Moi urged all parties involved in conflicts in Africa to respect the OAU resolution of July 1990 on peace for children, which required unhindered access of relief and readmittance of workers to population areas affected by conflicts. He further urged all those involved in humanitarian assistance to conduct their activities in an impartial and transparent manner so that they can reinforce their capacity to alleviate human suffering and contribute to peace.

President Moi called for an end to the armed conflict and search for peaceful solutions to political problems in order to ensure a promising future for the children of the region. He appealed to the warring parties in Somalia and Ethiopia to cease fighting and instead seek dialogue in resolving their problems.