UN declares famine in three new regions of Somalia

JOSÉ DOMINGO GUARIGLIA

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 3 (IPS)- The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Mark Bowden, confirmed that the state of famine in the country was extended to three more areas: the Afgoye Corridor, the capital Mogadishu and Middle Shabelle, the spokesperson of the UN Secretary General, Martin Nesirky, told reporters Wednesday.

Bowden said the measure reflects the UN’s concern for the drastic situation in southern Somalia. He also invited the international community to scale up the aid actions in the country and the whole Horn of Africa region.

With the new announcements, the number of areas that are suffering from famine in Somalia increased to five. In the capital, Mogadishu, famine has been declared due to the huge influx of refugees that have arrived in the last two months.

On 20 July, the United Nations declared famine in Bakool and Lower Shabelle, approximately 400 Km from Mogadishu, after weeks of an intense drought that created the worst emergency in the region in 60 years. The crisis has affected 12,4 million people in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti.

The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, told reporters Monday that more than 1.4 billion dollars are still needed to face the drought and that famine could spread to five or six more regions. She also encouraged the cooperation from foundations and private companies.

“This will not be a short crisis”, said Valerie Amos at an Emergency Ministerial Meeting held in Rome, Italy, this week. She appointed that the emergency could last for three or four months, at least.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that just 1 billion dollars have been received so far from donors all over the world. Approximately 1,300 Somali refugees arrive to Kenya and several hundred flee to Ethiopia every day.

Humanitarian efforts in Somalia have also been affected in part by the operations of al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda supporting group that banned foreign aid in the country since 2009 and in this case only granted limited access.

UN Requests 1.4 Billion Dollars More to Save Horn of Africa

JOSÉ DOMINGO GUARIGLIA

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 1, 2011 (IPS) - More than 1.4 billion dollars are still needed to battle the drought that has hit the Horn of Africa, and in particular Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti, UN Under-Secretary- General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, told reporters Monday

The drought and the lack of food in the Horn of Africa are affecting approximately 12.4 million people, and according to Amos, the famine that was declared in two regions of Somalia could spread to five or six areas if massive aid does not arrive in the next weeks.

She said what is happening in the Horn of Africa should be a "wake up call" and that the drought did not take anybody "by surprise". She also said that cooperation from foundations and private companies will be welcome.

In Somalia, the United Nations has encountered many obstacles providing aid to populations in need primarily due to the presence of armed groups. She said that number of affected people is increasing everyday and the strategy consists in delivering aid to Mogadishu directly.

Particularly, the most urgent aid is for Somali refugees who live in camps in Kenya and Ethiopia.

In Southern Kordofan, Sudan, there is no access for UN staff and the work of the humanitarian agencies is "extremely limited". "This will not be a short crisis", said Amos at an Emergency Ministerial Meeting in Rome last week. She predicted the emergency could last for three or four months, at least.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) are working directly in the affected areas. The WFP has already airlifted food into zones of Somalia where access was limited.

The African Union also announced the possibility of a summit meeting of world leaders to discuss the situation in Somalia. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that nearly 1 billion dollars have been received so far from donors all over the world to combat the worst drought faced by Africa in 60 years. Approximately 1,300 Somali refugees arrive in Kenya and several hundred flee to Ethiopia every day. (END)