from SAAD MUSE in Mogadishu, Somalia
Somalia Bureau
MOGADISHU, (CAJ News) – MILLIONS of people are at risk of sliding into famine in Somalia.
This as the impact of a prolonged drought continues to destroy lives and livelihoods in the East African country.
Growing needs are outpacing available resources for humanitarian assistance much to the concern of United Nations agencies.
This follows the release of a new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report that found 6 million Somalis, or almost 40 percent of the population, are now facing extreme levels of food insecurity.
This is nearly a two-fold increase in the number of people facing extreme levels of acute food insecurity due to the drought and related shocks since the beginning of the year.
“The projection for the risk of famine in six locations is extremely worrisome and should serve as a very serious warning if we really meant ‘never again’ after 2011,” said Adam Abdelmoula, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator.
That year, Somalia was the epicentre of the East Africa drought crisis that left an estimated 260 000 people dead.
“I therefore continue to call on the authorities and our development partners to act decisively and help scale up resources to match the rapidly increasing needs, save more lives and rescue more livelihoods for the people of Somalia,” Abdelmoula said.
Children under five are among the most vulnerable as the current drought worsens.
Access to food and milk is scarce due to rising commodity prices and livestock losses.
Around 1,4 million children face acute malnutrition through the end of this year, with around a quarter of them facing severe acute malnutrition.
– CAJ News