Sunday, July 5, 2015

Humanitarian situation in Somalia still fragile despite progress: UN | GlobalPost

Humanitarian situation in Somalia still fragile despite progress: UN | GlobalPost

Though progress has been made in the reconstruction of Somalia after two decades of civil war, humanitarian situation in the country is still fragile, a United Nations (UN) official has said.
Philippe Lazzarini, the outgoing UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, told reporters in the Kenyan capital Nairobi that insecurity, natural disasters and the influx of refugees from Yemen could hamper efforts to stabilize the country.
"Currently, an estimated 700,000 people in Somalia are trapped in an emergency crisis while an extra two million are teetering on the edge of food insecurity. Most of them are internally displaced, " Lazzarini said.
He urged the international community to increase assistance towards interventions that could shield civilians from chronic hunger and disease.
"The donor community will support national programs that address chronic vulnerability and a durable solution to the refugee crisis. We have a joint agreement with Somalia transitional government to support resilience building programs like food security, health and education," he said.
International organizations will also work on the resettlement of Somali refugees voluntarily returning to their motherland, he added.
Nevertheless, the UN official affirmed that progress has been made in the country's reconstruction with the support from the international community.
"The Somalia's trajectory is pointing to the right direction. The capital, Mogadishu is bursting with new businesses, roads and hospitals," he said.
Food and Agriculture Organization figures show that Somalia exported a record 5 million units of livestock valued at 300 million U.S. dollars to markets in the Gulf region in 2014, he noted.
"The positive narrative in Somalia has inspired everyone, but the journey is not yet complete," he concluded.
War-wracked Somalia is still suffering from the insurgency of militant group Al-Shabaab which has carried out waves of attacks and controlled some rural areas in the country's southern part.
Chaos in Yemen led to refugees flocking into the Horn of Africa nation which is said to have worsened the humanitarian situation.
Source: Xinhua News Agency

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