Agencies appeal for US $111 million

The United Nations and NGOs operating in Somalia on Friday appealed for $111 million towards funding humanitarian relief and development assistance to the war-affected Somali population.

Maxwell Gaylard, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, who launched the country's Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) for 2004, urged international donors to quickly respond to the appeal, the proceeds of which would fund the country's only basic social services still existing since its government collapsed in 1991.

"This [appeal] is an indication of the most fundamental needs. It reflects a basic minimum of delivery of social services by the UN and international NGOs," Gaylard said. "It is a matter of stability in the Horn, it just makes sense to help Somalis come together."

He said although the appeal for Somalia for 2004 had been prepared and disseminated before the end of 2003, only 4 percent of the funds sought had been received by February, nearly a quarter into the year.

The CAP for Somalia also contains an addendum outlining additional needs for funds to extend urgent support to more than 200,000 pastoralists in the northern and central regions, whose livelihoods are threatened by prolonged drought, considered to be the worst in 30 years.

Although CAP had outlined food needs for Somalia in 2004 as early as August last year, the unexpected failure of the Deyr rains have necessitated a review of the appeal to include the additional food stress in the pastoral areas, according to the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

An estimated 90,000 pastoralists faced severe a humanitarian emergency requiring a continuing emergency relief, while a further 113,000 required urgent livelihood support, such as cash-for-work projects, in order to prevent a full-blown humanitarian crisis, the appeal stated.

Although humanitarian response had so far been targeting the Sool plateau region, the drought had spread to additional areas in the Lower Nugaal valley, and parts of Bari, Togdheer and Mudug regions, Gaylard said.

"The response to the drought from donors has so far been positive," Gaylard said. "But we know that many more people have been affected, some of whom have yet to receive assistance, and without which we can expect great suffering," he noted.

Gaylard also acknowledged the vital role played by Somali civil society groups and continuing assistance from Somalis in the diaspora to complement the work of the international humanitarian and development agencies since their government collapsed in 1991.

"Despite many challenges, the continuity of humanitarian assistance in all forms has made positive differences in war-torn Somalia," he said, "and this has encouraged Somalis in moving forward."