World Bank approves US$50 Million in support of Emergency Drought Response in Somalia

By: Ahmed Mohamed 

The World Bank said on Tuesday it has approved $50 million in emergency funds to help Somalia cope with its worst drought in decades.

“The Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank today approved a US$50 million emergency project — Somalia Emergency Drought Response and Recovery Project (SEDRP, the Project) — to scale up the drought response and recovery effort in Somalia,” the statement said.

Somalia already has over 1 million internally displaced people, roughly ten percent of the population and continues to experience instability in parts of the country.

“In the face of famine, we must react quickly,” said Makhtar Diop, the World Bank Vice President for the Africa Region.

He aaded “Together with its partners, the World Bank is committed to address immediate needs by providing emergency support to save lives while helping the country recover. To prevent recurrent famines, we must also focus on long-term measures and help Somalia build stronger and more resilient food systems.”

In the statement, the Bank said the Project will address the immediate needs of communities affected by the drought as well as supporting early recovery and improved resilience to future shocks.

Somalia is facing its worst drought since 1950 and the World Bank estimates that over half the population, or around 6.7 million people, will need humanitarian assistance and recovery support.

The World Bank will work with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Food and Agriculture Organization to deliver the $50 million in assistance.

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