UK to pay $29m in humanitarian assistance to Somalia

[Deeq A.]

The UK’s International Development Secretary has pledged to provide humanitarian assistant to Somalia.

“The devastating consequences of drought in Somalia remain a major concern. The UK led the global effort to avert famine last year, but the country is facing further difficult conditions in 2018. The job is not yet done”, Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt, secretary of state for international development said.

“I am very clear that this is not just Somalia’s problem. The whole world is less safe when instability, poverty and extreme weather triggered by climate change are left to feed extremism and mass migration.”

“This is why the work we are doing here is so important, with British troops helping develop Somali forces, with world-class diplomats delivering a peaceful future and aid workers providing life-saving water and food. This is why the international community also needs to step up their support to Somalia before more innocent lives are lost,” Mordaunt continued.

The £21 million ($29.7 million) humanitarian aid package will include vaccinations for 12.5 million livestock against respiratory diseases, benefiting two million Somalis. Food security and livelihood initiatives will assist 40,000 beneficiaries, with water and sanitation projects impacting 155,000 people. The UK government will invest in nutrition support for some 300,000 vulnerable Somalis and 130,000 children to be screened and treated for malnutrition.

Earlier this month a commission of Somali scholars called for the protection of their country from “foreign interference” to respect the country’s sovereignty. The statement by the commission included concerns of “extrajudicial forces” leading to “sedition and unnecessary consequences” on Somalia’s domestic issues.

The US frequently executes drone strikes and special operation raids in Somalia, often killing unarmed civilians. US drone strikes have reportedly killed 700 Somalis and injured 54 since 2007 according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

The United Kingdom has a special regiment of 85 military personnel on the ground in Somalia, to train and work with the African Mission. It remains unclear whether the UK is assisting in any joint US-Somali operations.

Middle East Monitor