Tuesday’s call came on the second day of the Somalia Partnership Forum during which Somalia’s Federal and state-level leaders of the country met with senior representatives of the international community to focus on humanitarian and development issues.
Participants commended the government of Federal President for its leadership in the country’s drought response effort that averted a devastating famine in 2017. But several speakers also warned that the threat of a major humanitarian disaster still loomed over millions of Somalis, and continued support from international partners would be needed for the foreseeable future.
"Unfortunately, we cannot declare victory, and we have to exercise extreme caution because the situation remains the worst we have faced in recent living memory after four failed rainy seasons,"said the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator and the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Somalia. "We continue to need deliveries of humanitarian assistance to the tune of $100 million per month," he explained.
According to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, poverty, marginalisation, armed violence, insecurity, political instability, natural disasters and a lack of economic development have driven up humanitarian needs for decades in the east African country.
--ANA--