This New York Times editorial highlights the importance of good governance in avoiding future famines in the Horn of Africa, especially in Somalia. The current weakness of the government is making it much harder to deliver food aid safely and efficiently, and also makes it more likely that the structural problems exacerbating the famine stay in place.

While the immediate need to distribute food is still of utmost importance, doing so while neglecting governance, corruption and conflict will make future crises more likely.