This is a moment of tragedy but there’s hope-UN chief
The threat of a full blown famine is looming large in Somalia and urgent global response must be put in place to stem the tide, the UN Secretary General António Guterres has warned during his first visit to Somalia Tuesday.
Addressing the media after a brief meeting with President Mohamed Farmaajo and representatives of the international community, the UN boss said Somalia was facing a moment of tragedy but there was still hope to avert the repeat of the 2011 famine which claimed upwards of 250,000 lives.
“This is a moment of tragedy, people are dying because of famine; because of disease but this is a moment of hope because the government is ready to act, the humanitarian community is ready to act, they are cooperating and with the support of the international community it will be possible to avoid the worst and it will be possible to launch the pillars, the fundamental basis for Somalia to be able to turn the page,” said Guterres.
Noting that half of the country was in urgent need of humanitarian help and 3.3 million others in dire need of health support, Guterres called for massive international support adding unlike 2011, there are structures in place to conduct life-saving humanitarian operations.
“There’s a plan of action, there’s capacity on the ground but we need massive support from the international community to avoid the repetition of the tragic events of 2011,” observed Guterres.
Gravity of drought
President Farmaajo noted Guterres’ visit to Somalia reinforces the gravity of the drought facing the country adding they also discussed the security situation in the country.
He (Guterres) came here to assess the severe drought that has engulfed Somalia. As you know many of our livestock have perished; now people have started dying. He also came here to tell the world the problems we are facing. We had talks on the security situation here and how to overcome; we also discussed how the people who are suffering can be helped,” said Farmaajo.
The UN chief who also visited the south western region of Baydhabo after Mogadishu talks upped the humanitarian agencies’ call for $825 million to support at least 5.5 million people in the next six months warning ‘without that support we will have a tragedy that is absolutely unacceptable and that the Somali people do not deserve’.