7. Ethiopia III: Famine in the African Horn

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Scenes from the Live Aid concert in 1985

They said it could never happen again, but 15 years after Live Aid focused the world's attention on Ethiopia, the country is on the brink of another disaster. Back in 1984, the BBC reporter, Michael Buerk, reported on a famine of epic proportions and the harrowing pictures which accompanied his reports helped mobilise an international rescue mission.

This was led by Bob Geldof's aid efforts. First came Band Aid with the 1984 multi-million seller 'Do They Know It's Christmas?', which was followed by the global concert Live Aid in 1985.

Despite this international effort, 1.2 million people starved to death.

Drought and regional conflicts have brought the Horn of Africa to the brink of a major humanitarian crisis that could affect more than 12 million people in Ethiopia and neighbouring states, including Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Kenya.

UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, said recently that the world could still save people from a devastating famine provided it acted now. Ireland had budgeted £16 million pounds for Ethiopian aid this year. Liz O'Donnell, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs with responsibility in this area, has stated that some of this money which is ear-marked for long term food security and agricultural projects, can be diverted immediately for emergency aid. Irish National Government Organisations (NGOs) such as Concern, Trocaire and Goal are very well acquainted with Ethiopian conditions and will implement programmes that will greatly help people in famine-stricken regions.