The African Union has announced it is to hold a summit meeting to pledge help for the victims of Somalia's drought.

非洲联盟宣布，将召开首脑会议以向索马里干旱的受害者提供帮助。

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Twelve million are at risk of starvation as the drought and famine intensifies across the Horn of Africa
The statement comes after considerable criticism in the African media of the failure of the continent's leaders to help famine victims across the Horn of Africa.

The AU said the pledging conference would bring together heads of state and international donors².

The United Nations says the famine is spreading across southern Somalia.

The African Union statement was made by its deputy chairman, Erasmus Mwencha, during a visit to the AU peacekeeping mission in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

"I ask the African continent, from the northern cape³ to the southern cape, to look hard at how they can contribute to alleviating⁴（减轻，缓和） the suffering," said Mr Mwencha.

But he gave no date for the summit.

His call came as the United Nations warned that the crisis was intensifying⁵, with more than 12 million people in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti urgently needing help.

The UN says that tens of thousands have already died and hundreds of thousands are at risk of starvation.