The United Nations (UN) has warned that a quarter of the population in Somalia is threatened with starvation, due to drought, after rainfall has declined for three consecutive seasons, with the possibility of a fourth expanded registration.
In this context, Adam Abdel Mawla, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, told AFP: "We may face an unprecedented catastrophe," expecting 300,000 children under the age of five to be severely malnourished in the coming months.
Abdel Mawla continued, explaining: These children will die if they do not receive urgent food aid
While the United Nations appealed to the international community to make donations of $ 1.5 billion to fund the response to the crisis.
The UN indicated that about 7.7 million Somalis, equivalent to half of the country's population (15.9 million), will need humanitarian assistance and protection in 2022, an increase of 30% in one year.
The International Organization expects the crisis to worsen with 4.6 million people needing food aid by May 2022, as the country is witnessing a lack of rain for three consecutive seasons, which has not happened in 30 years.
This lack of food, water, and pasture has already pushed 169,000 people to leave their homes, and the number may reach 1.4 million within six months, according to the United Nations said in a statement.
At least seven out of ten Somalis live below the poverty line, while it has caused the lack of rain severely disrupted crop production and also affected the communities that depend on raising livestock. This is associated with high inflation.
On her part, Somali Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Khadija Dire said: "The danger is so great that without immediate humanitarian aid, children, women, and men will starve to death in Somalia."
Last November, the Somali government declared a humanitarian emergency due to drought.
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