Somalia declares a state of emergency due to drought

Mogadishu-SANA

Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Robley declared a state of emergency in the country due to the drought that is sweeping it.

Somali media quoted Robley as saying during a cabinet meeting that the current drought threatens many Somalis, calling on the international community to help those in need who have been affected by this drought caused by the lack of seasonal rains.

International reports indicated that millions of Somalis suffer from acute shortages of food and water, expressing concern about a humanitarian catastrophe if urgent aid is not provided to those affected, while the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that about 2.3 million people, or about a fifth of the population of this country located in The Horn of Africa has very little water, adding that "river courses and wells have dried up."

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Somalia pointed out that there is a very worrying situation, as more than 96,000 people have already left their homes, especially in the center and south of the country, due to the lack of enough food and water.

It is noteworthy that Somalia has witnessed 12 droughts. Natural disasters in recent years have been the main driver of population displacement in Somalia, which suffers from instability and is among the countries most vulnerable to the repercussions of climate change in the world.