20.07.11
The humanitarian crisis in southern Somalia has now been declared a famine by the UN. The Danish Refugee Council delivers emergency assistance to more than 150,000 people in the area, and the organisation is dedicated to raising more funds to increase the relief efforts.
More than 3.7 million Somalis or one third of the population is now dependent on humanitarian aid - most of them from southern Somalia, where UN today announced a famine. Danish Refugee Council distributes water, food and non-food items every day, but the need is enormous.
"The situation in southern Somalia is disastrous and, as one of the largest international NGOs in Somalia, the Danish Refugee Council is ready to take on additional responsibilities. We will increase our focus on collecting funds from public and private donors, so we can increase our efforts, "says Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council Andreas Kamm.
Southern Somalia is the most affected area in a region characterized by conflict and drought. Vulnerable groups like women, children and elderly are the first to pay the price.
"People are dying of hunger and related diseases every day in southern Somalia and the situation in neighboring countries may soon become just as serious. Danish Refugee Council works in Ethiopia, Kenya and Yemen on the other side of the Gulf of Aden, where thousands of refugees arrive every day – those areas are also in great need of support " says Andreas Kamm.
The Danish Refugee Council delivers assistance to more than 200,000 people in the Horn of Africa, and with sufficient funds the efforts could be increased significantly. Both the EU humanitarian fund ECHO and the Danish Government has allocated money for humanitarian work, but there is a need for additional resources from both public and private donors.
"Money spent in Somalia and the Horn of Africa is saving lives – that is the simple truth. This crisis is developing so rapidly that we must draw on all the possibilities we have, "says Andreas Kamm.
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