Horn of Africa: The World Finally Takes Action

By George Okore

MOGADISHU---Although the international community predicted an impending food crisis in the Horn of Africa for some time, UN declaration of emergency in Somalia owing to the worst drought in the decade was long overdue.

The first international commitment to helping the situation is   Monday’s international emergency meeting in Rome to examine measures to address the crisis in the Horn of Africa and to mobilize international support for affected countries. The meeting, organized by FAO at the request of French Presidency of Group of 20, will be attended by Ministers and senior representatives from FAO’s 191 member countries, other UN bodies, inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and regional development banks.

Among those to attend the  meeting are French Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fishery, Rural Affairs and Land Use Planning (for the French Presidency of the G20) Bruno Le Maire, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf,  UN Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos , WFP Executive Director  Josette Sheeran , IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze,  Chief Executive Director Oxfam UK Barbara Stocking

The situation in Somalia is especially dire as continuing violence, compounded by natural disasters and drought generates an acute humanitarian crisis. It is the first time since 1991-92 that UN has declared famine in Somalia, especially in the two hardest-hit areas - southern Bakool and Lower Shebelle. The worst emergency over the last 60 years far overwhelms resources available to deal with it.

The drought is driving up food prices in the regions, making life even more difficult for the poor communities affected.  UN estimates that so far around 3.2 million people in Ethiopia have been affected by the drought and 600,000 people require assistance in Uganda. The greatest number of people in need, 3.5 million, is in northern Kenya.

The drought has triggered destabilizing population flows throughout the region and placed stress on already vulnerable states. Somalis in particular are leaving their homes at the rate of thousands a day to seek refuge in the war-torn capital of Mogadishu, as well as refugee camps in neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia

Poor rains in the Horn of Africa have contributed to severe water shortages, failed harvests and food insecurity, affecting more than 10 million people in Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti.  The combination of drought and war is causing thousands of people to leave Somalia each day for overflowing refugee camps, putting severe pressure on already limited resources.  

Refugee camps in northern Kenya and southeastern Ethiopia are swelling from the influx of Somalis fleeing the worst-affected region in south-central Somalia. Up to 80 percent of new refugees are women and children. Many have walked tens of miles over several weeks, arriving at the rate of more than 3,000 each day. In northern Kenya, the government has been forced to open an extension of Dabaab refugee camp, already the largest in the world, to accommodate the influx.

 Several humanitarian organization and foreign governments have begun airlifts and opening  up a number of new land and air routes to bring urgent relief to millions in need. Decades of violence and political instability within Somalia have exhausted people’s ability to cope with a natural disaster on this scale. The combined effects of conflict and drought have caused an estimated 7.5 million Somalis to flee their homes.

Somalia has been without an effective central government since early 1990s. Though enjoying international support, the ruling Transitional Federal Government (TFG) lacks popular support within Somalia and only controls pockets of territory, with support from large peacekeeping contingent of troops from African Union.

Much of southern and central Somalia is controlled by Al Shabaab, an extremist group with links to Al Qaeda. This region has been the worst affected by the drought and Al Shabaab has compounded the disaster by restricting humanitarian access to its territory.

 In January 2010, UN World Food Programme suspended operations because of unacceptable conditions placed by the group on its operations and subsequent threats to their safety. Al Shabaab reconsidered its position following pressure from clan elders and community leaders. In early July, it allowed local and international aid agencies to return and several aid agencies have been airlifting supplies to the region.