Arab League Secretary-General calls for urgent Arab action to aid Somalia

Ahmed Abul-Gheit, Arab League Secretary-General, has called for an urgent Arab action to aid Somalia and for the mobilisation of financial and relief assistance required to address the grave humanitarian consequences resulting from the drought plaguing the country.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Abul-Gheit called on Arab States to maintain solidarity with Somalia and to provide the necessary support through the United Nations system, directly or through coordination with the Arab League, to help meet the urgent needs of more than six million Somali citizens, estimated by the UN at US$25 million to cover the next six months.

The Secretary-General also called on foreign ministers of a number of Arab states to continue providing material and technical support through charity and official institutions to the federal government of Somalia to address the serious consequences of this crisis.

He explained that this action comes in the context of the efforts carried out by the Arab League to mobilise Arab, Islamic and international support for the relief of the Somali people, and to contribute to meeting their emergency needs.