Scarlett Johansson: 'East African famine is an emergency'

Scarlett Johansson has met with Somali refugees during a recent visit to Kenya on behalf of Oxfam.

Johansson said that she was shocked by the vast famine in the Horn of Africa and called on world leaders to take "extreme action" in order to stop the growing humanitarian crisis.

"The scale of poverty in Dadaab is overwhelming. I met countless women like Hawa, a local community leader, who lamented the seemingly endless struggle of the Somali people, as refugees of war and starvation and now left to suffer everyday life with the very barest of essentials," Johansson said.

Johansson further suggested that it's irresponsible to simply ignore the deaths of thousands of African children from starvation.

"This is a long-term and escalating crisis exacerbated by political conflict, famine and drought that can no longer be ignored. Over half the Somalis that have died are children; an entire generation lost," Johansson declared.

"This is no longer an issue that can only garner some attention, some of the time. Extreme action must be taken by the global community now."

U2 singer Bono and Bob Geldof have also called for increased aid to East Africa.

Johansson first joined Oxfam in 2005 and has since represented the charity on trips to India and Sri Lanka.