Statement on humanitarian situation in Somalia, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos

It is welcome news that scaled up humanitarian assistance has had an impact in Somalia and that areas of Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle are no longer in famine, as reported today by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit and Famine Early Warning System. However, the situation remains critical for millions of people, as these areas continue to face a severe humanitarian emergency. The progress is fragile and needs to be sustained.

While humanitarian agencies have helped bring food, nutrition, water and sanitation help to millions of people in the last few months, I remain extremely concerned by the critical situation in Mogadishu and other parts of south and central Somalia. Increased insecurity, looting and other violence, high malnutrition rates and disease mean that we need to remain focused on the best ways to scale up our relief efforts well into 2012.

We need the international community to continue to generously support the vital work we and our partners are doing. We need to make sure that those most in need get help and we must also continue to look at ways of building the resilience of communities and families so that they are better equipped to deal with the impact of drought and extreme food insecurity in the future.