Ref/XIS/WAD/XDH/2304/016
Date: 26th March, 2016
WADDANI DROUGHT APPEAL
Appeal for Humanitarian Emergency Support for the Drought Affected Populations of Somaliland Republic.
To: The International Donor Community
To: The Relevant UN Agencies
To: The International Charitable Organizations
The severe drought which is presently affecting the major part of the Somaliland rural population has been gathering momentum for the las two years. The failed gu, dayr and karan rains of last two years unleashed devastating drought effect on the communities from Somaliland western regions of Awdal, Selel, Gabiley, Maroodijeex, Hawd, Saaxil and also from Eastern Sanaag. The populations of these regions, experienced decimation of their livestock assets, drastic failures of their crops and a dwindling supply capacity of their water sources. The official estimate of the drought affected population is over a million people that needs immediate humanitarian support of food, water and medical attention for both the people and their livestock. This population
However, in the other parts of Somaliland, which received relatively better rainfall during that period, the migration of people and livestock from less fortunate areas have created severe pressure on both water and pasture resources and therefore, created a generalized vulnerability situation of food and water shortage among all Somaliland rural populations. Recently the drought alarm is raised also in Togdheer, Sool and Sanaag regions for severe shortage of water and in some areas also pasture. That will increase drastically the population affected by the drought.
The rural populations in western regions and in eastern Sanaag have already lost the major part of their livestock assets and now more and more people from the eastern regions of Togdheer, Sool and Sanaag are joining their ranks as the drought progresses.
The assistance response so far is very inadequate considering the magnitude of the growing drought problem. Since the affected population is increasing by the day, the WADDANI Party is calling for Somaliland Government to streamline the response coordination mechanisms and to adopt a coherent approach to drought t management; to widen the area coverage of the emergency response and to draw up an effective strategy to save the people and to plan for their longer term rehabilitation.
The WADDANI Party is appealing to the international donor community, to the relevant UN agencies and to the international charitable organizations to address the Somaliland situation as a severe drought condition affecting the major part of the rural population, which requires immediate and appropriate attention and support: for immediate food distribution, for emergency mitigation of water shortage and improvement of the capacity of water supply infrastructure, and for urgent medical support. We also urge the international as well as national support providers to start planning for the longer-term rehabilitation of the drought victims to assist them regain their coping capacities.
The WADDANI Party calls also for its supporters and to all Somalilanders wherever they are to spare no effort to contribute to the drought response to support their brethren survive from the current calamity.
Finally, WADDANI believes that the effect of any drought is a manageable problem and therefore, commits itself to make it a priority of its development strategy to manage drought effects as many other nations in the world did.
Dr. Mahamed Fadal
WADDANI Secretary for Foreign Relations and International Co-operation
