By XINHUAMore by this AuthorThe United Nations has released $10 million (Sh1 billion) for aerial pesticide spraying in response to the worst locust outbreak in decades to hit East Africa, a UN spokesman said Thursday. The outbreak is affecting the Horn of Africa, Southwest Asia and the Red Sea, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He said that Mark Lowcock, under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, released the money from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). The allocation will go to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the UN food agency, to fund an increase in aerial pesticide spraying operations, the spokesman told reporters at a daily briefing. AdvertisementLowcock said the action had to be taken now, because, if left unchecked, the outbreak has the potential to spill over into more countries in East Africa with horrendous consequences.

Source: Daily Nation January 24, 2020 10:52 UTC