Pope Benedict XVI yesterday urged the world not to be "indifferent" to famine, as some 12 million people in the Horn of Africa face starvation amid the worst drought there in decades.
"We must not be indifferent to the tragedy of the hungry and the thirsty," the pope said in an address to hundreds of pilgrims following the weekly Angelus prayer at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, just outside Rome.
Referring to a Bible passage on the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes by Jesus Christ, he said: "Jesus reminds us of our responsibility -- to do everything we can to help those who are hungry and thirsty."
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"It is an immense task. In this time of holiday, let us not forget to open our hands and our hearts to come to the aid of those who need it," he added.
Aid agencies have stepped up efforts to aid the worst affected from the drought in Somalia. But charities say more international donations are needed and relief efforts have been hampered by the combat, as well as a ban on some humanitarian agencies by the Islamist group Al-Shebab which controls much of southern Somalia.
The UN on Friday said it was looking for $2.48 billion for 12.4 million affected people. The UN children's agency UNICEF has said 1.25 million children are in urgent need of life-saving support in southern Somalia.
"We must not be indifferent to the tragedy of the hungry and the thirsty," the pope said in an address to hundreds of pilgrims following the weekly Angelus prayer at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, just outside Rome.
Referring to a Bible passage on the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes by Jesus Christ, he said: "Jesus reminds us of our responsibility -- to do everything we can to help those who are hungry and thirsty."
watch in this video
"It is an immense task. In this time of holiday, let us not forget to open our hands and our hearts to come to the aid of those who need it," he added.
Aid agencies have stepped up efforts to aid the worst affected from the drought in Somalia. But charities say more international donations are needed and relief efforts have been hampered by the combat, as well as a ban on some humanitarian agencies by the Islamist group Al-Shebab which controls much of southern Somalia.
The UN on Friday said it was looking for $2.48 billion for 12.4 million affected people. The UN children's agency UNICEF has said 1.25 million children are in urgent need of life-saving support in southern Somalia.
