UN declares famine in parts of Somalia

The United Nations declares famine in parts of southern Somalia, signaling to donors the need for more aid and to insurgents that the population's suffering is taken seriously.

11:05AM BST 20 Jul 2011
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Mark Bowden, humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, cofirmed the severity of the crisis facing millions of people in Somalia based on fresh data from the food security and nutrition analysis unit for the country.

Speaking at a news conference in Nairobi, he said: "A state of famine exists in the parts of Bakool and Lower Shaballe regions of Southern Somalia. The rest of southern Somalia is close to famine conditions, and it is likely the conditions will deteriorate further in the next month."

He said that at a rough estimate $300 million (£186m) was needed in the next two months, to halt the famine and that number was likely to increase.

More than 10 million people are affected and need emergency help, including 2.85 million in Somalia, where one in three children is suffering from malnutrition, according to the UN.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said it was seeking further security guarantees from armed rebels in Somalia in order to prevent more people from becoming refugees.

Al Shabaab, Islamist insurgents affiliated to al Qaeda, control pockets of the capital Mogadishu and swathes of southern and central Somalia.

At least 500,000 children are at risk of death in the Horn of Africa, where high food prices and the driest years in decades have pushed many poor families into desperate need.
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.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/somalia/8649436/UN-declares-famine-in-parts-of-Somalia.html