Famine knocks on the door in Somalia amid political uncertainty

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A famine replica of that of 2011 is looming in Somalia following a prolonged drought that has left dozens of people dead and millions of others displaced, rights organizations have warned, amid rising political tensions in the country.

The country is embroiled in a prolonged political tussle which has triggered delays in elections; both parliamentary and presidential. Due to the conflict, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble declared AU envoy to Somalia Francisco Madeira "persona non grata" for interfering with the internal affairs of the nation.

Three consecutive years of little or no rainfall have devastated harvests and led to major shortages of food and water across the country – pushing up prices even before the war in Ukraine, known as the “breadbasket of Europe”, plunged markets into turmoil.

Figures published by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] show food global prices have hit a new high – rising by 34 per cent year on year, the fastest rate in 14 years. This, coupled with the war in Ukraine and Russia, could further worsen the situation in Somalia.

“We face a real risk of a repeat of the 2011 famine situation, which claimed the lives of a quarter of million people, half [of them] children,” said Mohamed Ahmed, director of programme operations in Somalia for Save the Children. “This will be a reality if we don’t act now.”

Statistics issued by have Integrated Food Security Phase Classification system [IPC] indicate that 4.1 million people, roughly a quarter of Somalia’s population, are facing severe hunger. Over 1.4 million children are affected and reports by the Telegraph show the situation could even "worsen".

“Health facilities, especially in rural areas, are seeing a noticeable increase in admissions for malnutrition – especially acute malnutrition,” said Anna Coffin, head of Medair Somalia, a humanitarian aid organisation.

“The other thing we watch is acute watery diarrhoea or suspected cholera. In some of the locations the figures are going up, and that’s generally a sign that people are reliant on poorer quality water sources as rivers dry up,” she added.

With a lack of water and food, the UN says over 700,000 people have already been displaced and entirely depend on well-wishers. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble declared a state of emergency following escalating hunger.

Conditions have reached a critical point, and urgent support is needed. In a joint letter, the NGO community globally and in Somalia highlight their shared concerns, noting:

"We, the Country Directors of national and international humanitarian agencies working in Somalia, are writing to express our deepest concern at the possibility of famine in Somalia in 2022. The humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly, with about 4.5 million people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance due to the worsening drought conditions. Moreover, weather experts forecast unprecedented fourth consecutive below-average rains during the long rainy season of April to June across most of the country.

"More than 1.4 million children, nearly half of the country’s under-five population, are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition with 329,500 of them likely to be severely malnourished. According to UNICEF, for, “a severely acutely malnourished child, or severely wasted child, the risk of them dying from diseases such as measles or diarrhoea is 11 times higher than for a well-nourished child.”

The NGOs have been critical in trying to salvage the situation, but the country has continued to ask for more assistance. That country could hold presidential elections this month upon swearing-in of legislators which is scheduled for April 14.

GAROWE ONLINE