United Nations Radio

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, says the humanitarian crisis that has engulfed Somalia has reached a new low point.

Somali civilians

A combination of intense fighting between government forces and insurgents, a deepening drought and country wide economic crisis has put nearly half of the Somalia population in need of humanitarian assistance. Elizabeth Byrs, spokesperson for OCHA reports from Geneva.

"The humanitarian situation in Somalia is deteriorating further. There are 3.2 million people in need of urgent assistance. For the last three months, civilians have increasingly become the victims of mortar attacks, caught in the fighting between armed groups in Mogadishu. Since May 2009, 200,000 people have fled insecurity in Mogadishu and there is a total of 3.9 million displaced- meaning one out of seven people are displaced in Somalia."

To make matters worse, the country is in the grips of one of its worst droughts, says Elizabeth Byrs. There has not been rain for the past 4 years and the situation is of great concern. Problems of insecurity have seriously hampered humanitarian efforts and OCHA calls for more funds to cover the 849 million dollars appeal made by humanitarian agencies in the region.

Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations Radio.

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