UN calls for humanitarian support to Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The United Nations has called for urgent humanitarian assistance to Somalia, which has been facing an acute shortage of food in recent months due to ravaging drought across all states.

For the last couple of months, the drought has continued to hit all states including the breakaway region of Somaliland. A number of countries among them the United Arab Emirates have donated food to the country.

Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Somalia who visited Somaliland to assess the drought situation, noted an increase in the number of displaced families arriving from other drought-hit parts of the country, seeking refuge in Somaliland.

"This is further stretching the thin resources available to the local communities," Abdelmoula said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

Abdelmoula, in his two-day visit to Somaliland, interacted with families that have been hit by hunger following the drought. The country hasn't received rain for a couple of months.

"What we need to do is invest more in the areas of origin of these newly displaced communities to ensure that they can safely stay home, and in parallel enhance the social services in the areas that have seen significant arrivals of people because of the drought," Abdelmoula said.

The persistent failure of rains in the Awdal, Marodijex, Sahil, Sanag, Sool, and Togdheer regions has led to severe drought conditions that have displaced 810,000 people and decimated crops and livestock.

Last month, the United Kingdom pumped $10 million towards mitigating the crisis, but the country is yet to contain the situation. There are close to 3 million people currently facing starvation in Somalia, which is currently holding elections.

GAROWE ONLINE