Statement by the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Philippe Lazzarini [EN/SO]

(Mogadishu, 29January 2015): According to new assessment findings released today by the Food Security and Analysis Unit, managed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, the humanitarian situation in Somalia remainsof concern. There have been improvements in parts of the country due to relatively good rains in October to December, increased flow of goods and reprogrammed humanitarian assistance. Nevertheless, the outlook for 2015 is worrisome.

About 731,000 Somalis face acute food insecurity, the vast majority internally displaced people, while an additional 2.3 million people are at risk of sliding into the same situation. This brings the number of people in need of humanitarian and livelihood support to 3 million. There have been some improvements in food security in the north where rainfall has been above normal. Southern and central regions have also seen improvements, but continue to be the epicentre of the crisis. This reduction in acute food insecurity cannot be equated to a sustainable turnaroundas seasonal fluctuations are common.

Malnutrition rates remain stubbornly high with nearly 203,000 acutely malnourished children requiring emergency nutrition supplement, mainly due to lack of access to clean water, sanitation infrastructure and better hygiene. About 38,000 children are severely malnourished and need life-saving medical treatment and therapeutic food. The situation has deteriorated among displaced people in Bossaso, Baidoa and Doolow, but improved in Mogadishu, Kismayo and Dhobley.

Valuable support from donors has allowed for a timely scale up of humanitarian emergency response and the worst impact of the crisis has been mitigated, especially in the second half of 2014. But available funding is not commensurate to the needs. Nearly 350,000 vulnerable Somalis are at risk of no longer receiving food assistance as early as February. In 2014, 1.5 million people were without primary healthcare services, including 300,000 children under five due to lack of funding. In 2015, the Humanitarian Response Plan requests US$863 million to save lives, improve protection of displaced people and provide durable solutions, and strengthen resilience of communities to withstand shocks. It is an essential prerequisite to continue to do everything we can to address the current humanitarian needs to prevent the relapse of a major crisis jeopardizing recent historic peace and state building gains.