Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will respond to the famine in Somalia at the forthcoming conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on August 25, President Goodluck Jonathan has said.

Receiving former Ghanaian president and African Union High Representative for Somalia, Jerry Rawlings, who came to brief him on the situation in Somalia, on Friday at the State House, Abuja, Jonathan said now was time for African leaders to take action on the catastrophe.

According to him, “the famine in the Horn of Africa is worrisome, and African leaders must take action to help this unfortunate situation.”

He said that ECOWAS would discuss the matter during its meetings of the Ministerial Council and the Authority of the Heads of State and Government next month.

The president agreed with former President Rawlings that African leaders must show a commitment to helping the people of Somalia at this critical time.

Earlier, Rawlings told Jonathan that the Somalian situation was a catastrophe that had to be remedied through concerted actions by African leaders and corporate organisations.

He said that the chairman of the African Union, President Obiang Nguema Mbassogo of Equatorial Guinea, expected political and corporate leaders on the continent to show a commitment to seeking a solution to this problem.

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