The Commissioner of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), Mr. Mahmoud Moallin Abdulle, and George Conway, the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations for Humanitarian Affairs in Somalia, held an urgent press conference in which they announced that the drought situation in the country has reached a very dangerous level and is worsening day by day.

The two officials jointly stated that the drought has severely affected many parts of the country’s regions, with growing food shortages, lack of water, and increasing displacement. They also confirmed that people have died due to hunger and thirst, especially children and the elderly living in some parts of the country.

George Conway, the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations for Humanitarian Affairs in Somalia, emphasized that an urgent and united response is needed to prevent an even worse humanitarian disaster. He called on the international community to quickly increase financial and emergency support in order to save the lives of millions of people at risk.

Finally, the Commissioner of the National Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), Mr. Mahmoud Moallin Abdulle, stated that nearly 6.5 million people have been affected by the drought, while more than 2 million people are in an emergency situation without food and water. He noted that health centers are reporting widespread malnutrition affecting children, and that the number of families being displaced from rural areas and moving to towns is increasing.