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Somalia: Drought threatens 2.3 million people, according to the UN

2021-11-19T21:22:04.566Z


Somalia is one of the countries in the world hardest hit by climate change, and the UN sees a "rapid" worsening of the drought. A minister in the country warns of the starvation of entire families.


Enlarge image

There has been a drought in Somalia for several years (archive image)

Photo:

Arif Hudaverdi Yaman / Anadolu / Getty Images

The United Nations has warned of a "rapid" worsening of the drought in Somalia.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced that around 2.3 million people in the East African country were affected by serious water and food shortages.

The Horn of Africa is about to have "the fourth failed rainy season in a row."

According to OCHA, the devastating supply situation has already forced almost 100,000 people in Somalia to flee their hometowns.

The number of people who need help and protection in Somalia is expected to increase by 30 percent from 5.9 million today to around 7.7 million in 2022.

Over 70 percent of all Somalis live below the poverty line.

The Somali Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Khadija Dirije, warned of the starvation of families who lose their cattle in the face of parched pastureland.

"I am particularly concerned about the children, women, the elderly and the disabled who continue to bear the brunt of the humanitarian crisis in Somalia," she said.

Numerous extreme weather events

Torn by a long civil war, Somalia is one of the countries in the world hardest hit by climate change.

In recent years, natural disasters have been the main cause of internal displacement in the country - not violent conflict.

The neighboring countries of South Sudan and Kenya are also affected by extreme weather events.

sol / afp

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2021-11-19

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