Press Conference on Humanitarian Situation in Somalia

 

The United Nations has launched an appeal for nearly $530 million in 2011 to help humanitarian groups operating in Somalia meet the basic needs of 2 million of the war-ravaged country’s most vulnerable people, officials of the world body said today at a Headquarters press conference.

Mark Bowden, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, described the humanitarian situation a “chronic catastrophe” as the country had been in crisis for 20 years and a long-term situation was now threatened by acute drought.  “This is a cause for major concern for the international community and the United Nations,” he added.

Accompanied by Kiki Gbeho, Head of the Somalia Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Mr. Bowden said chronic impoverishment meant that about 2 million people, or 27 per cent of the population, were facing some of the worst humanitarian conditions, lacking access to sanitation, water and food.  Some 1.46 million people were internally displaced, he noted, pointing out that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had said the country harboured the world’s largest single camp for the internally displaced, located outside Mogadishu, the capital.  Those people faced unacceptable conditions and their access to sanitation and health services remained poor despite major efforts by humanitarian groups to improve it, he said.

Mr. Bowden recalled that on 1 December in Nairobi, OCHA had launched an appeal for nearly $530 million to support 229 projects by 15 United Nations agencies and 90 international and national non-governmental organizations in response to Somalia’s most urgent humanitarian needs.  The appeal was intended to target the most urgent needs that could be met through humanitarian assistance, not the population’s total needs.  Humanitarian officials were concerned that the crisis would deepen because past weather patterns — severe drought followed by floods — could negate the progress made following a brief recovery of the country’s harvest over the last few years, leading to an increase in malnutrition.  On the positive side, he said, international and national humanitarian organizations were working closely together and were able to gain access to most of the country to meet people’s health, water and sanitation needs.

Yet it remained difficult to deliver food assistance, he said, adding later that the Al-Shabaab militant group had issued a statement saying it would not accept food aid as it could undermine the recent good harvest.  Despite the activities of insurgent groups, however, humanitarian groups were having an impact, he said, expressing hope for an effective response to the appeal, as well as the international community’s recognition of the “catastrophic environment” facing a large number of people.

Ms. Gbeho reiterated that the $530 million appeal was meant to serve Somalia’s 2 million most needy people.  “Despite the challenges, we can deliver if we are supported,” she added.

Asked about demands by some Somali groups for payment to allow humanitarian groups to deliver food, the officials said United Nations agencies did not pay to deliver food assistance.

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For information media • not an official record