United States Provides more than $151 Million in Additional Assistance to Respond to the Crisis in Somalia – African Business

Through the U.S. Agency for International Development USAID, the United States has provided more than $151 million in emergency assistance to Somalia. $146.5 million will be used to provide food assistance as a result of the country’s severe drought. This has left more than 7 million Somalians at the brink of starvation. The $5 million of humanitarian assistance that remains will support disaster resilience, economic recovery and market system activities. Today’s new funding builds on another recent funding surge of $476 million in humanitarian aid in July, bringing the U.S. Government’s contribution to more than $870 million for the people of Somalia – representing more than half of all humanitarian funding for Somalia in 2022.

USAID’s critical assistance comes in response to an expert Famine Review Committee’s projection that Famine is likely to occur in Buur Hakaba and Baidoa districts of southern Somalia this year unless an urgent increase of humanitarian assistance reaches people most in need. This stark forecast and the growing humanitarian need in the country are alarming to the United States. It is primarily due to a drought that has been unprecedented, with four consecutive failed rainy seasons. Early projections of a fifth failed rainfall season could further condemn Somalians, already in desperate circumstances, to unimaginable levels of suffering. 

Today’s announcement will allow USAID partner the World Food Program (WFP) to provide an additional two and a half months worth of emergency food assistance for 3.6 million people. USAID will provide vouchers and cash to Somalians to buy food from local markets. This will help both support the local economy as well as ensure that families who are facing starvation do not suffer. The new assistance will help the most vulnerable families that are at greatest risk of starvation. It will also support those who have had to flee their homes because of the drought. 

Prior to the Famine Review Committee’s projection, USAID had already rapidly scaled up relief efforts to provide emergency assistance. This includes providing emergency food aid to at least 3 million people per month, responding quickly to health crises, providing shelter, protection services, and providing safe drinking water, sanitation, improved hygiene, and providing food for those in need.

The United States government calls on the international donor community immediately to increase humanitarian funding for Somalia to stop the Famine Project becoming a reality. 

Distributed by APO Group for the U.S. Agency for International Development.