Somali President Hassan Sheik Mohamoud is a appealing for urgent assistance to the people affected by drought in parts of the country.

“I appeal to the Somali people, wherever they are - all over the world - to help their suffering Somali people who lack food and water due to the drought in the country,” stated President Mohamoud.

He added that his government would also play a critical role since the Gu’ season (long rain) had passed without rains after the earlier season also failed.

Food and water

“So, the Somali people need to help one another and help their brothers and sisters with food and water,” said the president.

President Mohamoud also appealed to the international community to intervene urgently.

“I also appeal to the international community to immediately come to the aid of the Somali people in the affected areas before the situation gets worse,” the president said.

More vulnerable

In September, aid agencies including UN-OCHA, reported in Mogadishu that five million Somalis – more than 40 per cent of the country’s population – did not have sufficient food.

The figure includes over 300,000 children under five, who were acutely malnourished, including more than 50,000 of them who were severely malnourished and more vulnerable than any other group.

Drought and floods were recurrent in the Horn of Africa country, often blamed on the climate change, wars and political instability.