Somalia on “Final Warning” for Imminent Famine

Martin Griffiths, the United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General, issued a “final warning” for Somalia on Monday, 5 September, as reports show that famine is “at the door” of the country.

Griffiths addressed a grim press conference in the country’s capital, Mogadishu, where he spoke about being shocked to his core “by the level of pain and suffering we see so many Somalis enduring.”

The cause of the crisis appears to be multitudinous: a four-year drought is currently persisting in the region; conflicts are on the rise in both Somalia and Ethiopia; and the impact of the Ukrainian-Russian war on global food prices are but a few reasons.

The complex issue is compounded by an attack last Friday evening, 2 September, in Somalia’s central Hiiraan region, where at least 20 people – including women and children – were killed and trucks laden with food aid were destroyed.

Griffiths released his statement alongside the Somalia Food Security and Nutrition analysis report which shows that two areas in the Bay region (Baidoa and Burhakaba districts) in South-Central Somalia will be the worst hit.

The report suggests that 22 million people in the region are at risk, with the city of Baidoa the current epicentre of the humanitarian crisis in the country.

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