Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has called on citizens and international partners to support communities devastated by the ongoing drought, emphasizing urgent needs for food, water, and education for displaced families.
During a visit to Baidoa town, the interim capital of South West State, Mohamud highlighted the plight of internally displaced people (IDPs) fleeing both conflict and environmental disasters. "All Somalis must contribute to alleviate suffering, sharing resources to ensure basic needs are met," he stated.
The president's remarks followed warnings from the United Nations that 7.1 million people in Somalia face severe food insecurity, with 370,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition. UN humanitarian chief Adam Abdelmoula cautioned that the crisis could escalate into famine without immediate intervention.
The drought, described as the worst since 1981, has displaced 700,000 people and left 4.5 million directly affected. Al-Shabaab's violence and three consecutive failed rainy seasons have exacerbated the humanitarian emergency, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Unicef reported that children in the region are losing access to education, healthcare, and stable living conditions. The agency attributed the crisis to prolonged dry spells, which have destroyed livelihoods and forced families to abandon their homes.
