Story highlights Richard Fontaine: The response of other wealthy nations to famines in Yemen, South Sudan, Yemen, and Nigeria has been inconsistent

President Trump should use his unwavering media visibility to influence countries to give more aid, he writes

Richard Fontaine is president of the Center for a New American Security in Washington, DC. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his.

(CNN) In his first six months as President, Donald Trump has used his platforms to decry and cajole anything or anyone that stands in the way of his campaign promises -- or that he simply doesn't like. And he recognizes and praises the people and things he does. For better or worse, this has drawn attention to those who have been the subject of Trump's remarks.

Richard Fontaine

Now a worthy target is crying out for President Trump's extraordinary reach: The so-called "four famines" that currently afflict South Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen. The United States has been generous in providing resources to confront the spread of starvation in these countries; it's other wealthy countries who have fallen down on the job. And it's here that the President could rack up a win for his administration and for humanity.

President Trump's megaphone is perhaps the loudest of any world leader in memory. With near 24/7 coverage of his statements and actions and tens of millions of social media followers, the President possesses the unique ability to illuminate a humanitarian catastrophe that garners few headlines at home or abroad -- and help save millions of lives.

The numbers are staggering. The US ambassador to the UN has called the famines "the largest food security emergency since World War II."

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This year, emergency aid is required to save those who literally have nothing else. Some 20 million people are at risk of starvation. UNICEF estimates that nearly 1.4 million children face an imminent risk of death. The UN seeks nearly $5 billion to help halt the four famines; only half of the necessary funds have come in. At least $2.2 billion more is needed this year to stave off the worst.

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