The United Nations has released over 2 million USD to help the victims of Tropical Cyclone Sagar which hit the breakaway Somaliland.
The cyclone which built up in Yemen’ s Socotra Island caused rains and heavy storms.
The recent landfall of Cyclone Sagar on the Northern Horn of Africa has affected some 160,000 people, killing dozens and causing severe damage to infrastructure and economic hardship, especially for traditional pastoralists.
In a statement Peter de Clercq, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia said the response to the combination of events- storm, floods, drought- highlighted the need for a response which addresses both the short- and longer-term needs of humanitarian events.
De Clercq had been in Somaliland to see its impact first-hand, as well as meet with local partners, including government officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, community elders and people directly affected by the storm.
“It was an opportunity to interact with people who were immediately affected by it,” he said. “They’ve lived through this year of near-famine already, and they had to endure not only this very difficult period of drought but then floods, immediately followed by the cyclone.
The UN official said the response to the combination of events – storm, floods and drought – highlighted the need for a response which addresses both the short- and longer-term humanitarian needs with the short-term; the longer-term being centered on building the resilience of communities like that of the Awdal region.
“We still are dealing with the food insecurity, the lack of livelihoods as a result of the drought, and at the same time we’re dealing with people who’ve been displaced because their houses have been flooded, or because their livelihoods have been washed away,” said Mr. de Clercq, who also serves as the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Somalia, and noted the need for increased funding of the SHF
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