Harriet Harman, Member of Parliament for Camberwell and Peckham and Labour's Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, speaking on the humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa said:
"Across the Horn of Africa millions of people are suffering from a severe drought caused by lack of rain and rising food prices. Mothers are forced to see their children going hungry and thirsty, families have lost their incomes and are being forced to flee into refugee camps. The conflict and turmoil in Somalia is making the situation even worse.
"To avert famine and to save lives we must step up international action. Governments and donors must provide the necessary funds. As the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, led by Valerie Amos, has underlined, humanitarian agencies can do more if they have the resources they need.
"I welcome the Aid that the UK Government has announced for Ethiopia. We want to hear from the Government what more they are doing to help Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti.
"As well as immediate action, the international community must tackle the effects of speculation on food which causes prices to soar and hits people in the developing world hard. And we must increase efforts to fight climate change to stop even greater drought and famine in the years ahead.