UN appeals $66 Million to support 1.25 million Somali people affected by droughts

The United Nations migration agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) appealed for 66 million U.S. dollars to reach more than 1.25 million people in Somalia with humanitarian assistance by February 2023.

The IOM said it needs immediate funding to continue essential life-saving programs and help communities adapt and withstand future shocks. According to the UN, more than 7.1 million people, nearly half of the total population, are facing historic levels of drought in Somalia.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed Friday it received 260 million dollars for Somalia humanitarian relief responses in 2022, facilitating efforts to provide immediate and life-saving assistance to over 2.8 million people who have been affected by the ongoing devastating drought in the country.

Extreme dry conditions are deepening Somalia’s decades-long humanitarian crisis caused by conflict, instability, recurrent weather shocks, and disease outbreaks.