Somalia aid

The United Nations will require $1.5 billion (1.14 billion euros) to keep its lifesaving projects operational in Somalia next year. Humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, Mark Bowden, appealed Tuesday for increased aid to the war-ravaged country during the launch of the humanitarian assistance appeal for 2012.

"The 2012 appeal is based on realistic assessments of the emergency needs of four million people still in crisis months after famine was declared in July," said Bowden. "The aid will go into food, health and education projects," he added.

An increase in humanitarian assistance has had a significant, positive impact especially in Southern Somalia, where famine is the worst. The UN has declared three southern regions of Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle as being free from famine. The UN says 2.6 million people received food assistance in October. Those with access to clean water reached 1.8 million.

Maintaining progress

Bowden says there has been some progress. "But the hard-won gains are still extremely fragile. Without ongoing assistance, they could be reversed," he warned.

He was referring to the latest data from the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit and Famine Early Warning System in southern Somalia. It says famine persists in central Shabelle region and in areas hosting internally displaced persons in the capital Mogadishu.

Bowden said progress made must be sustained, and that all those engaged in humanitarian work in Somalia need to be prepared for the long haul. He made a plea for more support saying the crisis in Somalia was everybody's responsibility.

He appealed to all parties in Somalia's conflict to grant aid agencies unconditional access. Al-Shabaab Islamist fighters, who control much of the country's southern and central regions, barred 16 aid agencies from operating in their territories last month .

Bowden said he appreciated the generosity of donors in providing emergency funds, saying that "tens of thousands more people would have died."

The famine crisis has been exacerbated by Somalia's political predicament. The country has not had a functioning government since 1991, when warlords toppled President Siad Barre's last central government, plunging the country into a civil war.

Author: Chrispin Mwakideu (AP, AFP)
Editor: Mark Caldwell