Multisector approach needed to combat crisis

Humanitarian agencies should employ a "twin-track" approach that addresses both the immediate and medium-term needs of vulnerable Somali populations in order to prevent the creation of relief-dependent communities, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU) Somalia has said.

"If the focus is only addressing immediate needs - whole livelihood systems could degenerate into relief-reliant communities, deepening poverty and prolonging the humanitarian crisis," the agency said on Thursday in its latest monthly brief.

An estimated 1.7 million people in the northern, central and southern regions of Somalia are facing an acute food and livelihood crisis or humanitarian emergency, according to FSAU. At least 1.4 million Somalis are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

"A full range of response is necessary, including: food aid, cash assistance, water relief and rehabilitation, livestock herd survival programmes, health and nutrition assistance, and protection of vulnerable groups," it added.

FSAU said Somali authorities, civil society and humanitarian actors urgently needed to step up interventions to prevent a large-scale disaster.

It urged donors to ensure that relief agencies had sufficient funding to carry out their work and noted that the Somali Diaspora - through remittances - could play a key role in mitigating the crisis.

The agency further emphasised that the regional nature of the drought - which extends to neighbouring Ethiopia and Kenya - called for a regional approach to the crisis.

"A balanced, needs-based humanitarian response for the entire drought- affected region is necessary in order to prevent a further escalation of the crisis through cross-border population movements and outbreaks of conflict over resources," it said.