Famine in Somalia – 6.7 million Somalis are expected to face acute food insecurity | United Nations

Press conference by Etienne Peterschmitt, FAO Representative in Somalia, on the food insecurity and famine situation in the country. About 6.7 million Somalis are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity, warned the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in Somalia. Briefing journalists today (14 Oct) in New York, Etienne Peterschmitt said that this number includes over 300,000 people on the IPC 5 phase, the most severe stage of food insecurity, considered famine. According to the representative, just a few months ago, the same number was 130,000. Peterschmitt also said that “approximately half of those that are facing famine are actually in rural and hard to reach areas.” The FAO Representative told journalists that “over 1 million people have now been displaced, of which 80 percent of these displaced people are women and children.” “We know that famine is expected in two districts, Baidoa and Burhakaba. This is the southwest state, further down in Somalia, the southern part of Somalia. Clearly if assistance doesn't reach the most vulnerable in these areas immediately, we will be in a famine situation,” said the expert. According to Peterschmitt the current drought is the worst in the last four decades and has affected about 7.8 million people, about half of Somalia's population. The Representative also said that “women and girls are being forced to track much longer distances to access water, shelter, which also make them more vulnerable to gender-based violence.” “Of course, we should not wait for a famine declaration to act, because then it will be too late,” the expert continued. “We know from 2011, when we faced a famine situation and a famine declaration, that by the time the famine was declared half of the 260,000 people who died had actually already died.”


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