Earth Science News
AFRICA NEWS
Over one million people displaced in four months in Somalia: UN
Over one million people displaced in four months in Somalia: UN
By Hillary ORINDE
Nairobi (AFP) May 24, 2023

More than a million Somalis have been displaced within their own country in just over four months through a "toxic" mix of drought, conflict and floods, humanitarian agencies said Wednesday.

Around 433,000 people were forced from their homes between January 1 and May 10 as a grinding Islamist insurgency raged and clashes broke out in the breakaway Somaliland region, the UN refugee agency UNHCR and Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said.

in addition, "over 408,000 people were displaced by floods sweeping across their villages and another 312,000 people were displaced by ravaging drought," they said in a joint statement.

Somalia and its neighbours in the Horn of Africa including Ethiopia and Kenya have been suffering the worst drought in four decades after five failed rainy seasons that have left millions of people in need and decimated crops and livestock.

UN chief Antonio Guterres and world governments are meeting in New York on Wednesday at a conference to seek funding of $7 billion to help those in need across the region.

At least 43.3 million people require lifesaving and life-sustaining assistance in the Horn of Africa, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said last week.

The number of people displaced within Somalia's borders now stands at 3.8 million, with 6.7 million people struggling to find food, according to the UNHCR and NRC.

More than half a million children are severely malnourished, they added.

"These are alarming figures of some of the most vulnerable people forced to abandon the little that they had to head for the unknown," said Mohamed Abdi, the NRC's country director in Somalia.

"We can only fear the worst in the coming months as all the ingredients of this catastrophe are boiling in Somalia."

Most of the families have fled the Hiraan region in central Somalia and Gedo in the south of the country of 17 million people and are arriving in overcrowded urban areas, putting a strain on already stretched resources.

- 'Human tragedy' -

The agencies called for urgent and greater investment to combat the crises "otherwise we will never see the end of this unfolding human tragedy," said Magatte Guisse, UNHCR's representative in Somalia.

Currently, aid agencies have received only 22 percent of funding to meet their needs for Somalia this year.

Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab jihadists have been fighting the fragile central government since 2007 and control parts of the countryside from where they have carried out numerous attacks both in Somalia and in neighbouring countries.

Meanwhile flash flooding has hit central Somalia since May after heavy rainfall sent water gushing into homes in Beledweyne town in Hiraan, submerging roads and buildings and killed 22 people.

The Horn of Africa has been scarred by protracted armed conflicts and climate disasters with the World Food Programme (WFP) warning on Wednesday that crises were far from over.

"The last three years of drought has left more than 23 million people across parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia facing severe hunger," the WFP said in a statement, adding that it would take years for the region to recover.

OCHA said last week that while famine "has been prevented" in the region, the humanitarian emergency was not over.

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
AFRICA NEWS
Air strikes, combat as one-week Sudan truce officially starts
Khartoum (AFP) May 23, 2023
Witnesses in the Sudanese capital reported clashes and air strikes minutes after a one-week ceasefire was to have come into force to let through life-saving humanitarian assistance. They reported combat in north Khartoum, and air strikes in the east of the capital shortly after 9:45 pm (1945 GMT) Monday night when the truce was to take effect, with the smell of smoke still lingering after gunfire and explosions rocked the city throughout the day. The ongoing fighting dampened hopes for a pause t ... read more

AFRICA NEWS
SmartSat targets Australian agricultural intelligence from space

EU's next food fight: regulating gene-edited crops

Gaza beekeeper tends hives by restive border

The Noah's Ark for plants beneath the English countryside

AFRICA NEWS
Pre-Hispanic aquaducts irrigate modern Peruvian crops

AI-enabled forecasting model predicts nearly two years of ENSO events

Ivory Coast imposes fishing bans in bid to conserve stocks

US Supreme Court deals setback to clean water law

AFRICA NEWS
Climate scientists flee Twitter as hostility surges

Germany gets tough with climate activists

In Venice, an architectural toolbox to adapt to climate change

German police in nationwide raids against climate activists

AFRICA NEWS
Controlling crystal lattices of hybrid solar cell materials with terahertz light

The NEM 3.0 Debacle: A Dark Cloud Over California's Solar Industry

Solar investment outshines oil: IEA

Driving on sunshine: clean, usable liquid fuels made from solar power

AFRICA NEWS
E-fuels - DLR selects Leuna as location for its PtL technology platform

WVU researcher searching for 'holy grail' of sustainable bioenergy

New catalyst transforms carbon dioxide into sustainable byproduct

Researchers cultivate microalgae for biofuel production

AFRICA NEWS
Children in quake-hit Syria learn in buses turned classrooms

UN urges Myanmar junta to open up to Cyclone Mocha relief

As 'Blue Helmets' turn 75, chief laments UN divisions

On the edge: DR Congo city stalked by fear of landslides

AFRICA NEWS
Scientists urge crackdown on methane emissions with only 13 percent regulated

New supply chain model to empower seabound hydrogen economy

Energy majors go slow on green transition despite pressure

French police teargas protesters at oil giant's meeting

AFRICA NEWS
China's Xi offers Russia 'firm support' in 'core interests'

US default would harm military 'readiness, morale': top US officer

Most markets down as US debt impasse sparks Fitch ratings warning

Washington concerned by China moves against US companies

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.