MOGADISHU — One in four Somalis, or 4.3 million people, face hunger and need urgent assistance due to hostile weather events and other conflicts, the UN and other humanitarian groups operating in the Horn of Africa country said on Monday. In a statement, the aid groups, including World Food Programme, …
Read More »UN offers opportunity for paradigm shift in humanitarian sector in Somalia
MOGADISHU — The Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) reaffirms the Somali government’s commitment to investigate the findings of a recent internal United Nations’ report on incidences of possible aid diversion. The UN and the Federal Government of Somalia have established a joint taskforce that will develop a collective strategy to …
Read More »Somalia takes lessons from frequent drought
MOGADISHU — Somalia may have been pummelled by drought for five straight seasons, but officials in Mogadishu say the people here won’t give up yet. And Khadija Mohamed Almakhzoumi, the Federal Minister for Environment and Climate Change said this week the three-year dry weather, sometimes punctuated with sudden floods, has …
Read More »China calls for lifting of unilateral sanctions to improve humanitarian work
UNITED NATIONS — A Chinese envoy on Thursday called for the lifting of illegal unilateral sanctions so as to improve international humanitarian work. It is worth noting that illegal unilateral sanctions severely affect the ability of the public sector of the countries concerned to provide basic services such as education …
Read More »New fund launched to boost peace, stability in Somalia
MOGADISHU — Somalia and Italy on Wednesday launched a new fund to help enhance peace and stability as part of efforts to foster unity and collaboration. Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said the fund, Towards Peace and Stability in Somalia (TPSS), is an initiative that aims to enhance the …
Read More »UN agencies ink data-sharing deal in Somalia to improve aid flow
MOGADISHU — The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday signed a data-sharing agreement to improve humanitarian assistance in Somalia. The agreement will enable the two UN agencies to deliver assistance more effectively and transparently to the people who need …
Read More »Humanitarian report: 4.3 mln people displaced internally in Somalia due to drought and insecurity
MOGADISHU — A quarter of all people in Somalia are now displaced due to drought and conflict, as the country’s displacement crisis hits record levels, according to a UK-based humanitarian organization. The Islamic Relief said in its latest report, which was released late Wednesday that more than 4.3 million people …
Read More »Somalia, US sign $92.6 mln development agreement
MOGADISHU — Somalia and the United States of America signed Tuesday a $92.6 million development agreement. Somali officials said that the agreement aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in the areas of stability, economic growth and good governance, and empowerment of Somali future leaders, women and youth. The US is among …
Read More »AL stresses importance of urgently aiding disaster, conflict-stricken people
CAIRO — Arab League (AL) affirmed on Sunday the importance of rapid response to aid those affected by natural disasters and armed conflict, pointing to the increasing numbers of needy people, which reached nearly 250 million persons worldwide. This came in a statement published by the Secretariat-General of the Arab …
Read More »Humanitarian workers risk their lives to help others
GENEVA — This year’s World Humanitarian Day is being commemorated at a time of increased risk for the thousands of aid workers who put their lives on the line every day to help millions of people affected by conflict and natural and human-made disasters. The United Nations says humanitarian workers …
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Somali Observatory for Humanitarian Affairs It is a specialized, independent, non-profit media network that observes and follows up the Somali humanitarian scene