WFP/Petroc Wilton In Garowe, Somalia, meals are being provided by a WFP-supported school feeding programme.
While Somalia has made progress in combating terrorism and advancing the electoral process, the country still needs additional efforts and funding to address multiple threats, including climate shocks, a spate of violence and the looming food crisis, two senior UN officials told the Security Council today.
Catriona Laing, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia, who took up her duties on June 5, said: "While there are many challenges and risks ahead, there are also many opportunities. I urge all international partners to take action to provide more support to the Somali people. ”
Lane is also Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia. Referring to the current security situation, she expressed concern about terrorist attacks and violence in Somalia, including the clashes that had erupted in Ras Arnold, the capital of Sur region.
According to the latest report of the Secretary-General, clashes between "Somaliland" security forces and a local tribal militia continue with varying intensity, resulting in heavy casualties, infrastructure damage and the displacement of civilians.
So far, there have been 308 civilian casualties, of whom 36 have been killed and 272 injured.
Lane appreciated the efforts of the parties and the Council to achieve a ceasefire and pledged UNSOM's support for advancing the peace process.
UN Photo: Eskinder Debebe Ryan, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, briefs the Security Council.
Developments are progressing
Briefing on positive political developments, Lane stressed that the Somali government has made "significant progress" in advancing key national priorities, including the electoral process, and has played a leading role in the fight against terrorism.
However, she cautioned that while al-Shabaab has been driven out of parts of the country, the entire terrorist group "remains a significant threat." She noted that Al-Shabaab attacks were returning, including the deadly incident at the Pearl Beach Hotel in Mogadishu in early June.
"In the first three months of 2023, the number of improvised explosive device attacks was also the highest since 2017," she said. ”
Support for maintaining security
Lane said ongoing Al-Shabaab-related stability maintenance activities would require support and UNSOM had stepped up its response in that regard. "The sustainability of these gains remains a challenge," she stressed. ”
She noted that stability in areas recovered from terrorist organizations required the maintenance of security, basic services, reconciliation and a long-term process of political and nation-building.
Outlining the three-phase transition plan, Lane stressed that the primary driver was the transition in the security sector, while the possible drawdown of the United Nations Support Office for Somalia and the plan for the eventual transfer of UNSOM functions to the United Nations country team needed to be considered together.
Living conditions are fragile
At the same time, Lane said, the humanitarian situation in Somalia remains "fragile." While current operations against Al-Shabaab have helped to improve security, from January to March this year, 430,000 people were displaced by violence and 580,000 lived in areas controlled by armed non-State actors.
In addition, climate shocks are becoming more severe and women still need adequate representation in the political, peace and security spheres.
Lane noted Somalia's failure to live up to its commitment to ensure 30 percent female representation in federal elections. Therefore, "this representation needs to be codified".
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe WFP Executive Director McCain briefs the Council.
Food insecurity
On the same day, Cindy McCain, the new executive director of the World Food Programme, who briefed the Security Council for the first time, also noted that violence and instability have scarred Somalia, destroying much of the infrastructure needed to support food production and distribution.
"In 2022, Somalia was rescued from the abyss of famine because the international community saw the 'red alert' in time and responded quickly," she said. But now, we are in danger and the valuable gains made since those dark days of last year risk being 'lost'. ”
Recalling a visit to Somalia last month, McCain said violence, fear and hunger "became a daily reality there." Some of the women she spoke to had lost all their livestock to drought; Terrorist groups there are even recruiting children as young as 11 years old.
The emergency has intensified
She also noted that more than 1 million people have been internally displaced by conflict since the beginning of 2022, and that climate disasters have displaced 2.1 million people in the past three years.
The latest food security figures show that food insecurity is increasing across Somalia, with more than 6.6 million people, a third of the population, expected to face crisis or worse hunger, including 40,000 struggling to survive in famine-like conditions.
To make matters worse, 1.8 million children are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2023.
McCain stressed the need to implement action plans to respond to this growing emergency and to work collectively to ensure the safe delivery of relief supplies, while ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access to all vulnerable communities in Somalia under the leadership of the Security Council.
Filling the funding gap
She also believes that food aid must be accompanied by investments to rebuild livelihoods, build resilience and support climate adaptation programmes.
She likewise called on Member States to immediately fund the country's humanitarian contingency plan. Due to the huge shortfall, WFP was forced to reduce the number of people it reaches from 4.7 million to 3 million per month in April.
McCain warned, "Without an immediate cash injection, we will have to cut aid distributions again to 1.8 million per month in July." ”
"We must work together to find a political solution that will create stability and peace in Somalia," she concluded. Above all, it is also what the exhausted Somali people want. ”