Ottawa pledges millions to Africa’s Sahel region, vows to match public donations

TORONTO – The federal government says it will match Canadians’ donations to a fund for humanitarian aid in West Africa’s Sahel region, which has been rocked by famine and political unrest.

Minister for International Co-operation Julian Fantino says the government is making an initial $10 million contribution to the matching fund dedicated to the nine-country region.

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More than 18 million people are facing hunger in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia.

Fantino says the government will match Canadians’ charitable contributions dollar for dollar between Aug. 7 and Sept. 30.

A similar matching fund to provide relief to Haiti in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake saw Ottawa shell out $220 million in 2010.

Officials with the United Nations say the Sahel region is experiencing food shortages and a serge of refugees fleeing from a violent coup in Mali.