African Union Promises Drought Aid

The African Union pledged $356 million Thursday for victims of the devastating drought that has crippled the Horn of Africa. The African Development Bank promised $350 million, while the rest came from private donors. The fundraising conference was the first of its kind for the pan-African body, which so far has donated only $500,000 for the drought, which has affected an estimated 12 million people. The United Nations declared a state of famine in five Somali regions, and the drought has also affected millions in Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, and Uganda.