Zimbabwe declares national disaster amid El Nino drought

Zimbabwe declared a national disaster on Wednesday as the El Nino weather pattern continues to cause drought across southern Africa.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson said that Zimbabwe needed $2 billion in aid to help millions of people. The World Food Organization (WFO) has already rolled out an assistance program for 2.7 million people in Zimbabwe from January to March.

Zimbabwe was once a major grain exporter, but has in recent years increasingly relied on aid agencies to avert famine. FAO said several countries in southern Africa recorded below average rainfall during the summer in the southern hemisphere.