UPSC Prelims 2023 Q78: Current Affairs – Disasters & Humanitarian Issues
Which one of the following countries has been suffering from decades of civil strife and food
shortages and was in news in the recent past for its very severe famine?
- (a) Angola
- (b) Costa Rica
- (c) Ecuador
- (d) Somalia
Answer: (d) Somalia
Explanation
Somalia — decades of conflict and recurring famine
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Civil strife | State collapse since 1991; long insurgency by Al-Shabaab |
| Drought | Five failed rainy seasons in a row (2020–2023) — the worst in about 40 years |
| Famine history | 2011 famine killed about 2,60,000 people |
| Recent crisis | 2022–23 near-famine conditions; millions displaced |
| Other shocks | Locust swarms, food price rise after the Ukraine war |
Other countries in the options:
| Country | Situation |
|---|---|
| Angola | Civil war ended in 2002; now an oil exporter |
| Costa Rica | Stable democracy with no army since 1948 |
| Ecuador | Crime and political crises, but no famine |
Answer: (d) Somalia.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Angola's civil war ended in 2002; it has not faced a severe recent famine.
- (b) Incorrect. Costa Rica is one of Latin America's most stable countries.
- (c) Incorrect. Ecuador has faced crime and politics crises, not famine.
- (d) CORRECT. Somalia combines decades of civil war with repeated drought and famine.
Key point
Somalia: state collapse since 1991, Al-Shabaab insurgency, 2011 famine and the 2020–23 record drought.
Remember
Somalia has suffered decades of conflict and recurring famine.
Common mistakes
- Choosing Angola because of its past civil war; that war ended two decades ago.
- Forgetting the Horn of Africa drought (2020–23), which caused the recent famine alerts.
- Confusing Somalia with Somaliland, a self-declared state in its north.
Exam tip
Horn of Africa = Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti. Famine news in the 2020s usually points here.
Sources
- UN OCHA — Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan
- FAO — Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) Somalia