Climate change, violence displace more Somalis
Saturday August 05 2023
A woman gives water to her child at Tawkal 2 Dinsoor camp for internally displaced persons in Baidoa, Somalia, on February 14, 2022. PHOTO | AFP
Somalia could see more of her people displaced from their homes, a combined result of erratic weather, violence from extremist groups and general poverty.
A situational report by charity group Islamic Relief says overcrowded IDP centres could also push for further displacements as food supplies from relief organisations are also curtailed.
The country has one of the highest displacement rates on the continent, with more than 1.3 million people having fled their homes in the first half of 2023 – almost as many as those in the entire 2022 and more than triple the rate of displacement in 2021, according to figures from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha).
Read: UN chief appeals for 'massive' aid for Somalia
Face of destitution
“The threat of hunger is still knocking at the door. The drought has destroyed the livelihoods of millions of people, and others are fleeing conflict to try and find safety,” said Aliow Mohamed, Islamic Relief’s Country Director in Somalia.
“The camps are filled with people who are destitute and have nothing left, and aid agencies are running out of resources to help them.”
Half of Somalia’s population of 16 million rely on aid.
Last week, Russia listed Somalia among six countries to share out the 50,000 tonnes of free grain.
Read: Putin promises free grain at Russia-Africa Summit
But some relief agencies have blamed Moscow for pulling out of a major grain deal that had allowed Ukraine to export grain to need countries, via the UN agencies.
"For Somalia, six in ten people displaced fled their homes due to severe flooding or drought. The rest have fled mostly due to conflict or insecurity posed by extremist groups like Al Shabaab," Islamic Relief says.