The food crisis due to drought in Somalia in eastern Africa is becoming more serious, and the United Nations is calling for immediate assistance from all countries, saying that there is a growing risk of severe famine and the loss of many lives from now until the end of the year.
Somalia and Kenya, known as the Horn of Africa, are suffering from the worst drought in decades, and Somalia is facing a serious food crisis.
UN Under-Secretary-General Martin Griffiths, who heads the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), responded to reporters on the 5th after visiting the site, saying, "Famine in Somalia is just around the corner." He expressed a strong sense of crisis that there is a growing risk of severe famine in the region of southern Somalia toward the end of the year.
Somalia relies on imports from Ukraine and Russia for about 90% of its wheat, so the stagnation in imports has exacerbated the situation, and Under Secretary-General Griffiths said the famine that killed 250,000 people about a decade ago has caused a crisis. Pointing out that there is a growing risk that more lives will be lost than in Kin, we are calling for immediate support from each country.
However, in Somalia, the Islamic extremist group "Ashabab" attacked a vehicle carrying relief supplies earlier this month, killing 20 people. Getting help to spread quickly is also a big challenge.