JOHANNESBURG — Conflicts and military coups continued to haunt the African continent in 2022. But there were some accomplishments by several countries aimed at strengthening democracy on the continent. On Jan 24, military leaders in Burkina Faso ousted President Roch Marc Christian Kabore and replaced him with Lieut. Col. Paul-Henri …
Read More »WFP predicts below-average rainfall for first half 2023
MOGADISHU — Ahead of the March-May 2023 rainy season, forecasts indicate below-average rainfall is highly likely in many regions of Somalia. This means the victims of drought ravaging most parts of the country will continue suffering from the same predicaments in the first half of next year. Somalia is in …
Read More »UN body warns of dire humanitarian situation in Somalia as famine looms
MOGADISHU — The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on Tuesday warned of a dire humanitarian situation in Somalia with famine fast approaching. The FAO said there is still time to turn the tide by addressing the immediate needs of rural communities, which are amongst those at …
Read More »Displaced Somalis complain about the high cost of living in Mogadishu
When people newly displaced by drought or conflict arrive in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, they often begin by asking for assistance. “They’ll move around all the neighbours and collect items,” explains local businesswoman Habibo Ali Haji. “They’ll knock on each door and ask ‘do you have anything?’ and use what they …
Read More »Somalia’s envoy for drought appeals for sustained funding to avert famine
MOGADISHU — Somalia has appealed to the international community to sustain funding for the drought response as 8.3 million people are expected to face a food crisis by mid-2023. Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, the presidential envoy for Somalia’s drought response, said more than 7 million people are still in need of …
Read More »Report: Nearly 8.3 M people across Somalia facing food crisis in 2023
MOGADISHU — Approximately 8.3 million people across Somalia are likely to face crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity between April and June 2023, according to a report released on Tuesday. “This unprecedented level of need within Somalia is driven by the impacts of five consecutive seasons of poor rainfall, …
Read More »UN warns of deteriorating humanitarian situation in Somalia
MOGADISHU — The United Nations top relief official in Somalia warned on Tuesday the humanitarian situation in Somalia remains extremely serious and called for sustained and improved assistance to avert famine. Adam Abdelmoula, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia said joint efforts and …
Read More »Somalia battles hunger as it braces for famine during a prolonged drought
MOGADISHU — Somalia typically gets two rainy seasons per year. The first, called the Gu rains, usually start in late March or April and last until June. The second round of rains, known as the Deyr, generally produce less precipitation and arrive in October or November. But Somalia’s last four …
Read More »UN refugee agency: Drought, conflict displaces over 2.4 mln in Somalia in 2 years
MOGADISHU — Severe drought and conflict have caused more than 2.4 million displacements in Somalia since the start of 2021, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Friday. The UN refugee agency said the ravaging drought is attributed to 1.3 million displaced people in search of food, …
Read More »EA legislators urge gov’ts to increase agriculture budget to combat hunger
KIGALI — Legislators from Eastern African parliaments have called on regional governments to allocate more funding to agriculture and livestock farming in order to address food insecurity. Members of the Eastern Africa Parliamentary Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition (EAPA) made the call at the opening of their three-day meeting, …
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Somali Observatory for Humanitarian Affairs The Voice of Reality.. The Eye of Humanitarian Truth in Somalia