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July 20, 2011

U.N. Declares Famine in Southern Somalia 
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The United Nations has declared a state of famine in drought-stricken
areas of southern Somalia amidst one of the worst humanitarian crises of
the past half-century. Half of Somalia's population — 3.7 million
people — are said to be in a state of "crisis", the vast majority
in the south. The U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, Mark
Bowden, said the crisis will likely get worse.

Mark Bowden: "I can confirm that this assessment highlights the shocking
severity of the crisis facing millions of people in Somalia at the
moment. More specifically, the analysis that has been taken confirms
that 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."

The United Nations says acute malnutrition has reached 30 percent in
Bakool and Lower Shaballe, with some areas seeing malnutrition rates of
50 percent for children under five. At least 500,000 children are at
risk of death in the Horn of Africa, which has been devastated by high
food prices, violence, and the driest conditions in decades. David
Kaatrud of the World Food Programme said aid groups are struggling to
reach those in need now that the militant group Al Shabaab has lifted a
ban on foreign organizations.

David Kaatrud: "We are facing an alarming humanitarian situation in
central and southern Somalia right now. It is an area where we had
limited access since last year. Amongst the effects of this is refugees
streaming across the borders from the effects of drought, high food
prices and violence and moving into the camps in Ethiopia and Kenya and
amongst these groups we find a high level of malnutrition rates. Acute
malnutrition among children are one in two in the camps in Ethiopia and
one in three in the 
camps in Kenya."



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