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The United Nations announced on Tuesday that it was suspending all activities in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, with effect from Tuesday 9 May, a press release issued the same day by the office of UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator stated.
According to the statement the action was taken after kidnappers refused to release an abducted UN staff member.
"It is with regret that activities designed to assist all the people of Mogadishu are being suspended due to these unlawful actions by a few individuals - but this position is being taken in support of our abducted colleague, and will be maintained until he is released unharmed and without preconditions," the statement quoted Humanitarian Coordinator Maxwell Gaylard as saying.
Gaylard expressed concern for the health of Muhammad Ali Abukar, who was affected by "a serious medical condition", according to the statement.
Abukar was abducted on 28 April by unknown gunmen, who are still holding him at an unknown location. He is the coordinator of the United Nations Development Programme's Capacity Building Project in Mogadishu.
The suspension will affect programmes supporting governance and civil society, including interventions in health, water and sanitation, education and teacher training, according to the UN statement.
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
