MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Somalia has received 26 million U.S. dollars for humanitarian response in the country barely days after International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) called for swift action to take measures to eliminate the food insecurity and diseases in Somalia.
In a statement, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which manages the fund, said the reserve allocation from Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF), a multi-donor country-based pooled mechanism that allocates funding for the most urgent life-saving interventions will focus on areas with acute water shortages brought about by prolonged drought, as well as on flood-affected populations in hotspot locations in south-central Somalia.
“The allocation will provide strategic support to selected cluster-specific priorities (17 million dollars) and integrated interventions (9 million dollars),” OCHA said in its latest humanitarian bulletin.
It warned a spike in humanitarian needs is expected in Somalia amid the largest funding shortfall in six years.
Rainfall deficits range up to 100 mm or more in key crop-producing regions, including Lower and Middle Shabelle, Lower and Middle Juba, Bay, and Bakool in the southern part of the country.
OCHA said close to two-thirds of the 26 million dollars will back priority activities in food security, health, nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) clusters.
“Prioritized activities will help address food insecurity in Jubaland and Hirshabelle States through the supply of agricultural inputs including seeds, farming tools, and irrigation support, as well as improve immediate access to food through provision of cash and vouchers,” it said.
The UN agency said the combined effect of COVID-19 has led to reduced household access to food and income and populations face major food consumption gaps.
IFRC Regional Director for Africa Mohammed Mukhier this week said Somalia was one of the “riskiest places on earth” to live with troubles such as climate-related disasters, conflicts, and COVID-19 outbreak, adversely affecting at least 3 million people in the country.
Agency said it was seeking around $9.4 million to address the needs and support the Somali Red Crescent Society to assist more than 563,000 people over 18 months.
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