The International Organization of Immigrants (IOM) is asking for humanitarian help as the situation deteriorates in Somalia. According to the Deputy Director General Amy Pope, IOM requires more resources to help communities in need survive, rebuild and foster resilience as drought enters the fifth month in Somalia.
Rural communities in the country are facing the dire consequences of a climate emergency as they grapple with decades of instability, disease and economic crises. Without a rapid increase in assistance, authorities say, Somalia Food Security and Nutrition analysis projects that famine will be a reality in parts of the country by October.
“The situation in Somalia demands the world’s urgent attention, solidarity and support. The communities I met are being devastated by climatic change, despite Somalia being one of the least contributors to global emissions. Millions do not have sufficient water or food. Hundreds of thousands of people could die,” she added.
Instructively, the last famine in Somalia was declared just over ten years ago in 2011 and led to the death of an estimated 250,000 people. The current drought has already claimed the lives of at least 730 children, but the true figure could be much higher, as 7.8 million people are facing extreme food shortages.
According to IOM, the drought has forced over one million people to leave their homes in search of water, food and humanitarian services. “Bearing the brunt of the crisis, over 80 per cent of the displaced are women, children and the elderly. Most people have settled in towns and cities where support services are already greatly overstretched, and sanitation is poor,” the organization says.
“Without sufficient funding, millions of people in Somalia will be left to suffer the fallout of devastating hunger, disease and displacement. The impact of this crisis will be felt by generations to come,” Deputy Director General Pope said.
IOM has reached over 700,000 people since the start of 2022, however, with the increase in the number of people in need of humanitarian aid, it still requires over $50 million to fulfill its goal of reaching 2.5 million people affected by the drought by the end of 2023.
