U.S announces $257m humanitarian aid for Somalia

The United States has announced $257 million aid support for Somalia adding to close to half a million dollars the U.S government has donated to support humanitarian efforts in Somali this year.

USAID assistant administrator Diana Putman said the funding will support humanitarian efforts within the country and also assist Somali refugees in the region.

“The assistance will address life-threatening hunger and acute malnutrition and provide safe water, emergency health care, education, and protection to people affected by ongoing conflict and recurrent drought inside Somalia and to Somali refugees in neighboring countries,” said Putman.

According to the statement, the US is providing $498 million for humanitarian assistance to Somalia this year alone making it largest donor of humanitarian aid.

The announcement follows appeals by the UN last month calling for concerted efforts to address acute food shortages in the country as the drought persists.

The UN said Somalia had this year experienced the worst harvest in 25 years plunging up to 2.1 million people into life threatening hunger by December.

Additionally, approximately 2.6 million people – or one in five Somalis – are internally displaced, while more than 730,000 are seeking refuge in neighboring countries.

The UN estimates that an additional $500 million in humanitarian funding is needed through December 2019.