Humanitarians are racing against time to meet the needs of hundreds of thousands of Somalis who are facing severe drought and water shortages.
Last week the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the country, Peter de Clercq, explained that a prolonged drought in Puntland and Somaliland, located in the north, has deepened and spread to southern and central regions of the country.
He said aid groups are “stretched” and require additional resources to meet the growing needs.
Mr de Clercq appealed for international support to address the crisis, which he described as “extremely worrying,” adding that it could rapidly deteriorate unless action is taken.
Overall, more than 40 per cent of Somalis, roughly five million people, do not have sufficient food, he said.
Meanwhile, a US$885 million appeal launched this year is less than half funded.
