UN sounds alarm on rapidly worsening drought

GOOBJOOG NEWS/MOGADISHU: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that Somalia is staring at a potential catastrophe if necessary interventions are not taken to mitigate the effects of the drought which has severely ravaged the country.

 UNOCHA has said that an estimated 4.3 million, (up from 3.2 million a month ago), have been affected by the drought of whom 271,000 have abandoned their homes in search of water, food and pasture.

The report further says that the drought has pushed thousands of children out of school as parents can no longer afford to pay fees. Food insecurity is increasing and malnutrition is high in drought-affected areas.

In an effort to salvage the already deteriorating situation, OCHA Somalia has announced that the UN Central Emergency Response Fund has allocated US$25 million to the drought response kitty and the Somalia Humanitarian Fund has chipped in with an additional funding of $6 million, while a second allocation is underway.

OCHA has said that more funding is urgently required to save lives and livelihoods, including substantive and early funding for the 2022 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan.