Africans pledge aid for famine

African leaders pledged nearly $380 million (£233m) to help the famine-hit people of the Horn of Africa at a donor conference yesterday.

The African Development Bank announced a donation of $300m for long-term development to be spent by 2013.

African nations also pledged $28.8m in food donations during the conference, at the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. African leaders promised $51m, the most generous donors being Algeria with $10m, Egypt with $6m and Angola with $5m.