UN reports that over half of Somalis are in need of emergency aid

More than 6.2 million Somalis are in need of emergency aid following a major drought and the country’s worsening conflict.

The UN reported that over half of the country’s population require emergency aid, including food, water and shelter. The 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Somalia has called for $1.6 billion to protect Somalis.

The HRP prioritises immediate humanitarian relief in areas of significant crisis and emergency and includes a strategy to protect the most vulnerable in crises, including women, children and the internally displaced.

2017 was a challenging year for Somalis as several failed rainy reasons left the country close to famine. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said donors raised enough aid in 2017 to avoid famine and a cholera outbreak but the situation would worsen without an increase in aid.

Food security needs have rapidly increased in Somalia with an estimated 2.4 million people in crisis and over 800,000 in emergency. Furthermore, an estimated 1.2 million children are projected to be malnourished.

Hassan Ali Khayre, Prime Minister of Somali also warned of the challenges the country faces:

"Drought and conflict will continue to affect the lives of millions of Somalis. They will continue to displace thousands more. I request on behalf of the government and Somali people for continued support from international partners."

To prevent future crises, humanitarian organisations are working with development agencies and Somali authorities to address the underlying causes of food insecurity and mass displacement, through the development of a Recovery and Resilience Framework and a Drought Impact Needs Assessment.

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Image credit: ActionAid