UK announces £24.6m drought aid for Somalia ahead of humanitarian conference

The UK has announced a £24.6 million aid support to bolster war against drought in Somalia warning the Horn of Africa country was still on the verge of a famine.

The Department for International Development (DFID) which co-hosts today’s humanitarian conference for Somalia said Tuesday the funds which will be spent before end of March will target over 200,000 children for acute and moderate malnutrition.

Another 400,000 people will be treated by emergency health services, including cholera prevention, measles vaccination and life-saving primary health care services, DFID said.

UK International Development Secretary said the war against drought in Somalia is far from over calling for long term solutions.

“Drought and famine do not have to go hand-in-hand. We must harness the potential of new ideas to build future-proof resilience against drought – and end the cycle of crisis.”

Donor are meeting in London today to mobilise international donor support to Somalia amid concerns the country could still slip into famine. The Norwegian Refugee Council warned Monday Somalia was on the brink of another famine calling on international partners to ramp up support.

“The international community saved thousands of lives in Somalia last year, and helped stop a famine before it could happen. Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) Regional Director, Nigel Tricks has said. “But less humanitarian aid now threatens to throw the country back into a deeper crisis, even towards catastrophe. “Half a million people today are on the brink of famine.”

The UN has called for $1.5 billion to stave off a famine. UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Peter de Clercq said last month the ‘not out of the woods yet by any stretch of the imagination