William Ruto, Kenya's new president, granted an interview to FRANCE 24's Marc Perelman on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Ruto warned that the worst drought in 40 years risks causing starvation in the Horn of Africa, adding that "3.1 million people are facing severe drought" in Kenya alone. "This is no longer a country-by-country challenge. This is becoming a multilateral challenge," he insisted, calling on multilateral institutions and lenders for support. Ruto blamed climate change for the drought but stressed that the situation had been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and the resulting fall in grain exports to Africa.
Asked about the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region, Ruto said he was "very concerned", saying "whatever happens in Ethiopia gets to Kenya". However, he expressed confidence that under an African Union framework, "we should be able to bring the sides to the [negotiating] table at the earliest possible opportunity."
