SW News: The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), the official assistance agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, has branded the UK's intention to slash humanitarian funding for East Africa from £156 million in 2022 to £143 million in 2023 a "betrayal" of the people who rely on it.

On May 24, UK International Development Minister Andrew Mitchell announced new aid for East African states during a United States pledge meeting. According to CAFOD's director, Christine Allen, the scenario demonstrates that the government, despite its protestations to the contrary, is not taking the matter seriously.

As noted by Allen, millions of people in East Africa are in danger of starvation as a result of the region's prolonged drought, yet the UK has opted to reduce funding for the region by £13 million.

Climate change adds to the tensions by jeopardizing rural livelihoods and increasing competition for land and water. East Africa's already impoverished people would face even greater misery as a result of UK assistance cuts.

Meanwhile, CAFOD is pressing the government to reverse this cut as soon as possible.

For years, East Africa has been facing the specter of drought with successive failure of rains throwing agriculture out of gear.