MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somali prime minister has announced that the government allocated $1 million in emergency aid to support more than two million people affected by a severe drought in the horn of African nation.
Mohamed Hussein Roble made the announcement on Saturday after presiding a meeting of the Drought Relief Committee in the capital Mogadishu.
Prime Minister Roble also instructed the Drought Relief Committee to provide an immediate assistance to the worst affected areas.
Mr. Roble said that the government is committed to continuing to provide assistance to those affected by the drought.
Roble called on Somali businessmen and the diasporas to play an active role in helping those in need.
Somalia is experiencing severe drought conditions after two consecutive failed rainy seasons, affecting the south and central regions in the country.
The failure of rainfall also led to shortages of food and water that threatened peoples’ livelihoods, and increased the risk of communicable diseases, said in a statement released by United Nations.
The UN says in the last quarter of 2021, 3.5 million people – 22 per cent of the population – were expected to face food insecurity, and 1.2 million children were likely to be acutely malnourished.
Last week, at least four people, including two children died from starvation in drought-prone areas in Gedo region in west of Somalia.
