国内英语新闻:China pledges more aid for Horn of Africa

BEIJING, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- China pledged on Thursday to make more efforts to aid people living in the drought-stricken Horn of Africa in collaboration with the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC).

"We noticed that the ICRC launched an appeal regarding the situation in the Horn of Africa. The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) has decided to donate 4 million yuan (about 623,000 U.S. dollars) to the ICRC for its humanitarian aid in the region," said Hua Jianmin, president of the RCSC, while meeting with visiting ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger in Beijing on Thursday.

Earlier this month, the RCSC donated 8 million yuan (1.25 million dollars) to famine-plagued countries in the Horn of Africa to be used for emergency humanitarian aid.

A donation of 2 million yuan was sent to Kenya through the country's Red Cross organization, while another 2 million went to Ethiopia. The other 4 million yuan was donated to other countries in the region.

The Chinese government has decided to provide a total of 90 million yuan (14 million dollars) in emergency food assistance to countries in the Horn of Africa.

"The Red Cross Society of China is willing to work together with the International Committee for the Red Cross to meet the needs of those who have been affected (by the droughts)," Hua said.

Some 12.4 million people in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and other countries in the region are in dire need of food due to a serious drought, the worst to hit the region since the 1980s.