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Tanzania donates maize to Somalia

A girl relaxes on the sacks of maize at the food distribution in Jowhar, Somalia, September 2007. Up to 1.5 million of Somalia's estimated seven million people need food aid. Nearly 300,000 face severe food shortages in the Horn of Africa nation. Manoocher Deghati/IRIN
A girl rests on the sacks of maize at a WFP food distribution in Jowhar, Somalia. September 2007
    DAR ES SALAAM

    Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete on 9 August said his country was donating 300MT of maize to drought-affected Somalis.



    "We are deeply concerned with reports of severe famine in the Horn of Africa, where Somalia is hardest hit," Kikwete said in a statement issued after he met Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, President of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government. Ahmed was in Tanzania for a two-day state visit. Kikwete said he would support Somalia in solving political, security, social and economic challenges facing the country.



    Kikwete said: "We wish we could have given you more because we understand the magnitude of the problem and your needs. At present that is what we can manage since the harvesting season has just started. We are going to look at the possibility of giving more food support in the future."



    He said he would lead the campaign to mobilize relief supplies to Somalia from international organizations, other governments and the private sector in his country. "We will ask various friendly countries, organizations and local firms engaged in bottling water to deliver relief supplies to Somalia," Kikwete said.



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    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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