United Nations Radio

There is an ongoing and sustained humanitarian crisis in Somalia, with 43% of the total population of the country, or around 3.2 million people, in need of assistance at least until June 2009.

WFP: security is vital

That according to the findings of the 2008/2009 seasonal assessment released by the Food Security Assessment Unit here at the United Nations.
The report says the ongoing humanitarian crisis is unique in that it is widespread; 1.2 million rural people are in a state of crisis, and nearly 2 million people are urban poor and internally displaced populations (IDPs) , who are continuing to struggle to cope with hyperinflation of food prices.
The report states that this is the first time in over 15 years that a significant number of people in crisis in Somalia are the urban poor.
It says the key driving factor behind the current emergency is a macro-economic crisis, driven by a significantly devalued Somali Shilling and hyperinflation of basic food and non-food items. And it says this macro-economic crisis is exacerbated by months of increased conflict that have internally displaced more than 1 million people throughout the country.
The report explains that this already dire situation is worsened by the increasingly limited humanitarian interventions in the region since August due to increased civil insecurity, as threats and attacks targeting humanitarian workers significantly restricted humanitarian space in 2008.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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