[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 316 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 316

Concerning efforts to avert drought and famine in Africa, particularly 
                               Ethiopia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 3, 2000

   Mr. Payne (for himself and Mr. Campbell) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                             International
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Concerning efforts to avert drought and famine in Africa, particularly 
                               Ethiopia.

Whereas the conditions in southern Ethiopia are extremely close to a famine and 
        famine-like conditions are plaguing Somalia, Kenya, and Eritrea;
Whereas, in Konso, malaria has affected women, men, and children;
Whereas irrigation is a rarity and almost 90 percent of farming in Ethiopia 
        depends entirely on rainfall;
Whereas Ethiopia's Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Commission appealed for 
        help 16 months ago when cyclical droughts arose due to global weather 
        disturbances;
Whereas the Ethiopian Government has requested 836,800 tons of emergency food 
        aid to assist an estimated 7.7 million people;
Whereas the most severe drought conditions are in the town of Gode where 
        carcasses of dead livestock lie in the streets;
Whereas hundreds of thousands may die from malnutrition and malnutrition-related 
        illnesses;
Whereas the United Nations estimates that more than 16 million people are 
        threatened by food shortages in Ethiopia and the Greater Horn of Africa;
Whereas a third of Africans live without enough water;
Whereas the United Nations World Food Program reported that an extended dry 
        spell with only scattered rains during May and June is likely to slash 
        crop and livestock production, further weakening the region's already 
        precarious food situation;
Whereas in many parts of Africa, water supplies are insufficient to meet current 
        or expected future demand during certain times of the year;
Whereas Ethiopia's demand for water can be attributed to the doubling of its 
        population, which in the last 15 years has increased to 63 million;
Whereas the River Nile basin states (ICCON) will promulgate a 15-point document 
        that lays out the basic principles upon which those 10 nations will act 
        in common concerning the Nile River;
Whereas in order to achieve the shared goals of ensuring food security and 
        preventing famine, African nations must be knowledgeable concerning 
        sustainable use of natural resources; and
Whereas growing populations and changing values are placing increasing demands 
        on existing water supplies, resulting in water use conflicts: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) congratulates the Administration for providing up to 
        500,000 metric tons of food through private voluntary 
        organizations (PVO's), cooperatives, and international 
        organizations such as the World Food Program (WFP);
            (2) congratulates the Administration for providing a $7 
        million annual program for a Famine Early Warning System;
            (3) urges the Agency for International Development to 
        provide emergency food assistance under Public Law 480, 
        including wheat, rice, corn, and sorghum;
            (4) encourages the Agency for International Development to 
        provide farmer-to-farmer assistance under programs that fund 
        technical assistance to improve food production and 
        distribution and improve farming and marketing in eligible 
        countries;
            (5) congratulates the Ethiopian Government for going on the 
        open market to provide 100,000 metric tons of food to the 
        southern region of Ethiopia from the food surplus region in the 
        western part of the country;
            (6) strongly encourages international humanitarian 
        organizations to provide wheat to the needed regions;
            (7) calls on the President to work with the international 
        community to provide funding for dams, irrigation systems, and 
        wells to provide clean drinking water;
            (8) encourages increased water conservation, water quality 
        enhancement, and more efficient use of water supplies to meet 
        increased demands on water resources;
            (9) encourages international humanitarian organizations to 
        provide grain to the southern region of Ethiopia;
            (10) suggests that food aid be distributed in Ethiopia 
        before the long rains which occur in the July/August period;
            (11) strongly urges the Nile Basin countries to engage in 
        cooperative efforts for achieving a just share of the Nile 
        waters for irrigation and water resources; and
            (12) supports increased planning and initiatives by the 
        Nile Basin Initiative secretariat to promote the proper use of 
        the River Nile and to alleviate poverty in the region.
                                 <all>