Somalia: World Food Programme (WFP) – As rains fail again, catastrophic hunger looms over Somalia (06.06.2022)

Food insecurity and malnutrition worsen across Somalia as risk of famine increases amid historic fourth failed rainy season.

MOGADISHU, Somalia, June 6, 2022 – A historic fourth consecutive failed rainy season, skyrocketing prices and an underfunded humanitarian response have resulted in a 160 percent increase in people facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity, starvation and disease in Somalia. With no end in sight for the devastating drought affecting the country, the risk of famine looms larger than ever. An urgent increase in support from the international community is essential to avert famine.

A new report from the Famine Early Warning Network and the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, based on a rapid assessment by multiple United Nations agencies, shows that 7.1 million Somalis (close to 50 percent of the population) now face crisis-level food insecurity or worse through at least September 2022. Of those, 213,000 people face catastrophic hunger and starvation, a drastic increase from the 81,000 forecast in April. More areas are at risk of famine, particularly in the south of the country in regions where insecurity and conflict makes humanitarian access more challenging.

These figures reflect a food security situation that is expected to deteriorate rapidly over the coming months. United Nations agencies and partners are now focusing their limited resources on famine prevention to protect the country’s most vulnerable, as meteorological organizations warn that another below-average rainy season could follow later in the year.

“We are staring at a potential calamity; failure to act now will be tragic for scores of families in Somalia,” said Adam Abdelmoula, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator. “Somalia is in danger of entering an unprecedented fifth consecutive failed rainy season, meaning hundreds of thousands of people face the risk of famine. Famine cost the lives of 260,000 Somalis in 2010-2011.This cannot be allowed to happen again in 2022. It is urgent that more is done to avert this risk and done now,” he said.

Collectively, humanitarian agencies have reached 2.8 million people between January and April 2022 with lifesaving and livelihood assistance through drought assistance and famine prevention programmes, but the new assessment clearly indicates that the scale of assistance currently being delivered and funding from the international community is not yet sufficient to protect those most at risk.

Food prices affecting the most vulnerable

Somali families are increasingly unable to cope with soaring food prices as local food has become scarce due to consecutive seasons of poor or failed domestic production, livestock deaths, and imported food prices reaching record levels – in part because of supply chain impacts due to conflict in Ukraine. In parts of the country, food prices have risen 140 to 160 percent, leaving poor families hungry and destitute.

“We must act immediately to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. The lives of the most vulnerable are already at risk from malnutrition and hunger, and we cannot wait for a declaration of famine to act,” said El-Khidir Daloum, WFP’s Country Director in Somalia. “It’s a race against time to prevent famine and WFP is scaling up as much as possible, prioritizing our limited resources to save those most at risk. But as these new figures show, there is an urgent need for more resources to meet this escalating hunger crisis,” he said.

Around 3 million livestock have died due to the drought since mid-2021, and the decline in meat and milk production has also led to worsening malnutrition, particularly among young children in pastoral areas who are dependent on local supply. As of May 2022, an estimated 1.5 million children under the age of five years face acute malnutrition through the end of the year, including 386,400 who are likely to be severely malnourished – an increase of 55,000 compared to previous estimates.

The malnutrition crisis is likely to worsen as the nutrition situation deteriorates further in the affected areas, with children and vulnerable people the hardest hit. “This is a child crisis. It’s not only about water or nutrition, but also about children losing education, falling vulnerable to child protection issues and having poor health; all impacting their future,” said Angela Kearney, UNICEF Somalia Representative. UNICEF has supported the treatment of more than 114,000 children with severe acute malnutrition between January and April 2022. “We are treating children but now we need further funding to prevent a famine and protect the future of every Somali child,” she said.

Grim situation as humanitarian funding falls far short

The grim food security situation is unfolding as humanitarian funding from the international community has so far fallen short of coming close to what actors need to avert a famine in the country. The 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan is currently only 18% funded. “The support required has not yet fully materialized, and hundreds of thousands of Somalis are at a very real risk of starvation and death,” said Etienne Peterschmitt, FAO’s Representative in Somalia.

“It’s a tragedy to see the level of distress that rural communities in particular are experiencing, and we are being limited in what we can do to prevent this extraordinary suffering. We’re calling on the international community to act fast while we still have some hope of preventing collapse of livelihoods, further and potentially massive population displacement from rural areas to IDP camps and widespread famine in Somalia,” he said.

Somalia: “The drought has brought despair. I don’t know what will become of us”: Families on the move as drought takes its toll on Somalia (06.06.2022)

The country is experiencing its fourth consecutive failed rainfall season with harrowing impacts for families and children, raising fears of a repeat of the 2011 famine.

MOGADISHU, Somalia, June 6, 2022 – Somalia’s crippling drought, the worst in at least 40 years, has forced more than half a million people to abandon their homes in search of food and water in the last four months, with mothers terrified they will also lose their children, Save the Children said today.

The country is experiencing its fourth consecutive failed rainfall season with harrowing impacts for families and children, raising fears of a repeat of the 2011 famine that killed over a quarter of a million people- half of them children under five. Experts are warning there is now a credible risk the next rainy season in October – December will also fail, which would further deepen the already severe humanitarian emergency.

With the prolonged drought combined with inadequate humanitarian funding, globally disrupted supply chains, and food prices skyrocketing due to the conflict in Ukraine, mothers in the country are telling Save the Children they are unable to feed their children and fear for their lives.

55-year-old Suad, a farmer, lives in a camp in the Sanaag region. She arrived at the camp four week ago with her seven children and disabled mother after the drought killed off her livestock.

Suad told Save the Children that the previous drought in 2017 devastated her livestock. At the time, she had 400 cows and goats and was left with just two, although she was able to recover some of them. Now, the drought has left her with almost nothing, and this time she fears she will not be able to salvage what remains of her pastoralist lifestyle.

She said: “The drought has brought despair. I don’t know what will become of us. I can’t feed my family, I feel helpless. How can you provide a living for your children when you’ve lost your livelihood? It’s a very difficult time, we’re all on the move in search of a better life.”

Sitting from across her mother,12-year-old Samia, said: “If we had rain, life would be so different. I wouldn’t need go out in search of water and I would have more time for my studies.”

The number of new arrivals to camps in Hargeisa from drought affected regions is rising daily, Save the Children said. Saud is among 524,000 people in Somalia who have been forced to abandon their homes in search of food and water in the last four months. Across Somalia, 6 million people are suffering extreme hunger, with over 81,000 living in famine like conditions. The UN estimates that 1.4 million children could be acutely malnourished by the end of this year if the deteriorating situation is not addressed.

As the threat of famine looms, with estimates suggesting as close as next month, the UN warns, an urgent and timely scale up of humanitarian assistance is required to avert death and devastation for families across Somalia.

Mohamud Mohamed, Save the Children’s Country Director in Somalia, said:

“We saw this coming. A two-year drought in Somalia and the Horn of Africa, which has decimated crops and livestock and eroded people’s ability to cope, with mothers having to make the difficult choice of putting their children to sleep hungry. Malnutrition rates among children is on a steady rise and the UN has warned that as many as 350,000 children could die by the summer if we do not act and yet the window of opportunity to act and avert a catastrophe is shrinking with every passing day.

We are calling on governments and the international community to make the right decision and prevent the suffering of millions of people and possible deaths of thousands of people from this climate-induced hunger. A localized response that targets saving lives and livelihoods must be prioritized including supporting local food production, protecting the poorest, and making food affordable.”

Save the Children is working to help affected communities in Somalia to cope with the immediate humanitarian effects of drought. We are providing emergency water supplies, treating children who are malnourished, supporting education systems so that children do not miss vital learning while displaced by drought, running health facilities, and providing cash and livelihood support to the most vulnerable.

Ethiopia: Abiy is boastful of the blockade of Tigray

They did 47 years of struggle. They first fought for 17 years. Ten thousands has died. They then became government for certain years. They stepped down from government and many people died again. Overall, 40 years of effort made sure that going to Gondar or Asmara only a daydream [for them]. It brought no single drop of benefit for Tigray” – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali (02.06.2022).

It has been two days since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali said this to a national broadcaster while his visiting development projects in Bale, Oromia region. We know that the humanitarian truce has let in more convoys and trucks, but never at the levels that the humanitarian organizations has said was needed.

The Tigray region is still struggling and lacks everything. There is a possibility of a man-made famine, mass-starvation and plights unknown to men. In a region where millions are lacking food security and basic necessities. The blockade haven’t only been direct blocking of humanitarian convoys. It has been blocking of the telephone-line, internet and utilities like electric too.

That’s why seeing the interview and that the PM would say this so close to having a meeting with African Union Envoy Olusegun Obasanjo who also seeing the development of Oromia. It just shows how brazen and how Abiy disregard Tigray. How he wants the Tigray to suffer and never heal. That is the message that’s coming here.

While we know that the Amhara Para-Military Group “Fano” have been stationed in the Western Tigray and also Eritrean Defence Force (EDF). We know that the parties have planned to continue the siege and the war is far from over. It is only a waiting game before another “final offensive” and an end of the tyranny.

Abiy is proud of besieging Tigray and blocking it. The deliberate weakening of Tigray and endless suffering it has caused since November 2020. The sort of devastation and destruction, which can be hard to phantom. As there reports of numbers of dead, massacres, internally displaced people (IDPs) and unknown levels of people suffering with lack of medicines or treatment. Therefore, the reality is grim and people have been tormented, because Abiy wanted to consolidate all power.

Abiy wanted everyone under his wings and the ones who dissent will get punished. The punishment will either be with fierce retaliation of the authorities or a lethal act of epic proportions. That’s how he ensures everyone knows the “drill”. As it is all about “unity” and “rule of law” but that’s for other to follow. He can issue or order “death” or even “extra judicial-killings” with no consequences, as it is done in the banner of the Federal Government and whatever sort of justification the PM has that week.

If you still believe Abiy… his proud of destroying his enemies. He is now a man who stands by the ideals of blocking everything to Tigray. Just so it cannot access or have any sort of ability whatsoever. While his allies can still onslaught a return with violence to a region in dire distress. Where the murders of the state is covered up and the unknown levels of war-crimes has been committed. Still, he is proud that his effort of bloodshed and collective punishment have been done.

That’s the sort of warlord and leader Abiy is… the ones believing in the dialogue or the process to peace with him. Clearly doesn’t know him. These sorts of words shows who he is and what his all about. And if you don’t know, now you know. Peace.

Somalia: OCHA – Somalia Humanitarian Fund allocates US$20 million for drought emergency (03.06.2022)

The new allocation will focus on underserved, hard-to-reach areas and complements the $14 million Rapid Response grant from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund.

NEW YORK, United States of America, June 3, 2022 – The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Mr. Adam Abdelmoula, launched a new allocation of US$20 million from the Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF) to provide immediate assistance to communities at risk of famine in priority locations.

“A disaster is unfolding in Somalia due to severe drought,” said Mr. Abdelmoula. “In several areas, the risk of famine has increased, and scores of Somalis are on the brink of catastrophe. I am concerned that a huge number of people will starve to death unless we rapidly scale up the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those most affected.”

In February, the SHF allocated $25 million to mitigate the impacts of severe drought. About 836,000 people benefitted through multi-sectoral integrated interventions. The new allocation will focus on underserved, hard-to-reach areas and complements the $14 million Rapid Response grant from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) that aims to address the worsening food crisis and multi-sectoral needs of communities severely affected by the drought.

The CERF grant will target priority locations in South West State, Banadir, Mudug, Lower Shabelle and Togdheer regions with lifesaving water, sanitation and hygiene, food security, health, nutrition and protection assistance while the SHF will focus on clusters in Hirshabelle State, Galgaduud, Toghdeer and Sool, Banadir and Bay regions.

Somalia is the most drought-impacted country in the Horn of Africa; at least 6.1 million people have been affected of whom 771,000 have abandoned their homes in search of water, food, and pasture. At least 1.5 million children are facing acute malnutrition, and over 3,170 AWD/cholera and 2,460 measles cases have been confirmed since January.

Despite increasing needs, the 2022 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan, which seeks US$1.5 billion to assist 5.5 million people, has only received 18 per cent of required funding (nearly $260 million) as of 31 May.

“I thank the SHF and CERF for providing desperately needed resources but urge other partners and donors not to forget the people of Somalia,” said Mr. Abdelmoula. “We are running out of time. Unless we act now, we are likely to experience the worst outcomes in coming months.”

Yemen: An open letter to the Government of Yemen and Ansar Allah (31.05.2022)

Ethiopia: Afar People’s Party (APP) – Current press release from Afar People’s Party Executive Committee (31.05.2022)

The executive committee of the Afar People’s Party held on 14-17 May 2014 at the Semera city headquarter discussed many regional and national issues and made important decisions and future directions. It will be presented as follows.

1/ Regarding peace and stability:- our country is forced to pay the price of wealth and life because of TPLF’s thirst for power and the claim that they will destroy the country unless I lead, all the people of Afar have been forced to pay the wrong price of wealth and lives; they have been displaced from their hot life and migrated to migration and begging, which is very shameful in our culture; our women have been raped; parents have been separated from their children. He has seen so many. Innocent people are physically harmed, the rest are mentally ill.

In addition to this war, there is a war that has been started on our people from all directions and people are being killed every day on their own land. Therefore, the government whose first job is protecting the lives of the citizens is not only protecting the safety of our people, but also on activities that increase the vulnerability of our people.

Even though the people of Afar are people who work with priority for peace, they have shown their identity to the world by governmental and non-governmental invaders who come to challenge their sovereignty in their own land and to paint the history of heroism in black. They have shown their true identity to the world without expecting anything from anyone. However, the Afar people’s party is in vain every day. Withholding the dying citizens. We strongly urge him to give and fulfill his constitutional duty.

2/ low cost of living, corruption and lack of good governance:- We have found that the Afar People’s Party has been out of control due to high corruption, lack of good governance and excessive corruption as well as illegal hoarding of resources and embezzlement of the people to foreign countries are out of control. Since the works done in the region are not done properly and legally bidding system, the winners of the auction Sachhew The lack of quality of projects and lack of timely completion has held back the development of the region since they are office heads or families and the right professionals and the intermediaries.

Since our region’s geothermal nature is desert especially in this month of May the temperature will reach 40 to 50 degree Celsius, high water consumption is required. However, in the capital city of the region, Semera, the authorities have bought a boat and sold 20 liters of water for 35 birr and closed the main water line to the people for high water. Thirst has been put out.

We should not tolerate this unforgivable human rights violation and it should be fixed quickly. Not only the transportation is expensive, there is a huge shortage of transport in the region. It is enough to look at the Semera and Logia taxi lines at 7 o’clock in the afternoon. In order to ensure that the public resources that are exploited by individuals to be properly utilized and the government has rented buses for the people. Ransport We would love to make sure you provide service.

The Afar People’s Party is condemning these people who left the people and don’t think they will return to the people tomorrow. We urge the regional administration to take immediate measures against them.

All this suffering seems to be less, but in our region every 100 meters, smart bosses and government-supported government officials are robbing the people! There is a high and man-made cost of living in the region. For some and known parties to make profit, by confiscating exploited commodities, torturing low capacity merchants and making the situation comfortable for government contrabandists, by removing the legal merchants from the market and showing the farmers the hard work has become a common practice. The regional government needs an urgent correction. For him to take measures and the lives of the war-torn people. We’re going to encourage him to calm down.

3/ Human rights violations and exposure activities:- In our region, there have been huge violations of human rights related to the war; women have been raped by herds; children have been separated from their parents; severe physical injuries have been inflicted on our people; those who have been injured and thrown into every health center; those who have died and left their families in trouble; the infrastructure that are needed to live should be counted. Lala is destroyed, our people from their homes. Displaced and exposed to immigration.

There is a crisis of food, water and medicine in the refugee camps. Because the humanitarian support from the local and international community is not for the purpose of the development of individuals, our people are facing a serious situation of hunger and health problems.

It has been understood that the farmers displaced from Northern Afar who were displaced by this war are in a big problem in the concentration camps especially in Guyeh and Afdera by speaking to the displaced people. There is a huge shortage of drinking water in this area and thousands of families get only one bottle per day which is from the existing community. The displaced people said it could be the reason for another conflict in Garh.

We urge the government to solve these people’s problems as soon as possible and save the lives of the citizens.

Recently, there are rumors that they will return displaced people to their homes. While it is good that the displaced people are back, the Afar People’s Party would like to express its concern that you have left them in an empty village where their wealth is destroyed and claiming that they have returned to your country and claiming that it will not be an act of escaping from responsibility by the government.

Therefore, until the peace issue settles down, and the people recover from the spirit of war, we will suggest that the government should calmly take care of the people in the peaceful places they are. We believe that there is enough stock. A lot of young people who tried to express their views are in prison in this time where the infrastructure is not met is the ultimate humanity. Just in case a wee right offender. The party urges citizens to get justice and release them immediately.

The Afar People’s Party has made a lot of efforts to inform the world community about this human rights violation and in this process it has tried to explain the truth by creating contact with local and foreign institutions through letters.

The top leaders of the party have given explanations to the European Union Human Rights Commission, the European Union East African Special Envoy for UK East Africa and Red Sea Special Envoy for the African Union, the African Union Human Rights Commission and a lot of the world community about the violations of our people. Rights organizations on the issue of Afar The party has expressed its complaint that they have shown generosity.

4/ Regarding the national discussion:- The people of Afar believe that the source of our country’s current and lasting problems are not talking, not discussing, controlling all those who came to power alone and seeing others as destroyers of the country, not spreading a common vision and not willing to work together in a civilized way are the main reasons. This is the cycle we are in today. The one that put us in Therefore, once and for all, we believe that a fair, honest, honest, transparent and all inclusive national counsel should be resolved.

However, since the commission that was established now doesn’t meet the minimum requirements stated above, bringing together the governmental and non-governmental forces that are armed and causing our people suffer, we don’t think it will bring a lasting peace, but it will bring a solution. It is not only a waste of time and energy. If they didn’t believe too much was wasted in this process and considering the necessity of the issue. The one that will never be late Since it is an agenda, we have repeatedly asked you to solve the problems and save our country. Therefore, we would like to inform you that we will not be able to participate in the process until these prerequisites are fulfilled.

Afar people party Semera, Afar

May 31 2022

Somalia: Office of Special Envoy for Drought Response – Press Release (30.05.2022)

East Africa: Joint Communique – The threat of starvation looms in East Africa after four failed rainy seasons (30.05.2022)

Sudan: OCHA – UN provides US$20 million for food security in Sudan (30.05.2022)

Opinion: The man who has blocked humanitarian assistance for months, begs the international community to strengthen their support…

During the 15th Extraordinary AU Humanitarian Summit, I reiterated Ethiopia’s commitment to ensuring assistance reaches those afflicted by natural & man made disasters. It is imperative that partners scale up their support for humanitarian services across the continent” (Abiy Ahmed Ali, 28.05.2022).

The Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali is bold and really a living hypocrisy. Yes, at the recent weeks there has finally been allowed some trucks or convoys into the Northern Regions of the Republic. As the Ethiopian government have blocked, put bureaucratic hurdles and ensured that nothing has entered the war-torn region. Alas, of late and after the truce there has come a little in. While it is far from what is needed and a man-made famine has been created. That is what the PM is responsible for and his government have vilified “wheat-aid” and whatever humanitarian assistance in the past.

So, that the PM says this at the African Union Humanitarian Summit in Malabo says something. Like we are supposed to forge the millions who are struggling and starving. Because, the PM wanted to prove a point against the regional government in Mekelle. That is the gist of it all.

It is really something that he says this now. After all the heartache, pain and suffering he has inflicted on a region, which is a war that is ordered in his name.

His reported to have said this:

““Therefore, a lot of work is being done with partners to reduce the risk of natural disasters.”

Abiy further noted that strong drought prevention measures are crucial as previous droughts in the region have shown its worst impact. “Ethiopia will strengthen its efforts to withstand the challenges of climate change by planting billions of seedlings a year under the green legacy program. Accordingly, despite the global economic crisis the country continues to provide unreserved humanitarian assistance to millions of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), he emphasized” (The Ethiopian Herald – ‘ Premier calls for more humanitarian support to Africa’ 28.06.2022).

His acting like his a saviour and has the answers, which is striking when his government is burning the republic from the inside. The government his running and operating is causing the suffering. The PM and his henchmen is in-charge of the insecurity, food-insecurity and the newly internally displaced people. It’s his wars, “Law Enforcement” Operations and “Rule of Law” campaigns that causes this. Where civilians are arrested, detained, kept incommunicado and tortured. Dissidents are targets and arrested too. That’s what is happening in the Republic and on orders of the PM.

Yes, his planting green trees and trying to forge a “green legacy” but what he will be remembered for is his “Medemer Terror”. The violence, the brutal wars and conflicts done in his name. The assassinations, mass-murders, massacres and others happening on his watch. The bloodshed has been done in his name and he is behind a silent killer called starvation or man-made famine. That’s all his work. The score card is sinister and evil. So, it is really striking that a man who rules like this.

Speaks like that at an international setting. Trying to forge a positive narrative. Like we don’t know what is happening in Ethiopia. We haven’t seen the atrocities of the state in Ogaden, Oromia, Amhara, Afar or Tigray regions for that matter. We know and the injustice will linger on for long. The reign of Abiy will damage a generation and he will be at fault.

This is the sins of Abiy and he has to carry them. Peace.