Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Claims that the Israeli occupation has withdrawn from areas in the neighborhoods of al-Zaytoun, al-Tuffah, and al-Shujaiya are false
Hamas: The two delegations stressed that any negotiations must lead to the achievement of our people's goals and aspirations, foremost among which is ending the war and the complete withdrawal of enemy forces
Hamas: A delegation from the Hamas leadership, led by the head of the leadership council, Mohammad Darwish, met with an Islamic Jihad delegation, headed by its Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah

Somalis face hunger, their government avoids declaring famine

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 7 Nov 2022 19:27
4 Min Read

Humanitarian organizations believe Somalia's officials are rejecting a formal declaration of famine, which would allow aid to enter the country and save lives.

  • x
  • Experts are now warning of an impending famine as children suffer from malnutrition. Source: TRT World and Agencies.
    Experts are now warning of an impending famine as children suffer from malnutrition. (TRT World and agencies)

A malnourished child is rushed into a clinic in Somalia almost every minute of every day. With crops and animals ravaged by the worst drought to hit the country in four decades, millions of Somalis face famine in an unprecedented humanitarian disaster.

According to interviews with government officials, humanitarian workers, and analysts acquainted with internal government talks, the Somali government has been reluctant for months to announce that the country is facing famine.

Read next: 10 worst climate-hit countries suffering double famine rates: Oxfam

Relief workers revealed that such a statement would allow significantly more help to flow — as happened during a 2011 famine — and draw the attention of Western funders, who are presently focused on responding to the consequences of the war in Ukraine. 

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's government, which came to power in May, has resisted the designation for a variety of reasons.

Why isn't the government declaring famine? 

First and foremost, the fledgling government is concerned that it will undermine public trust and play into the hands of the terrorist group Al Shabaab, just as the military has launched a large-scale offensive against the insurgents, who have plagued the country for decades and continue to launch devastating attacks.

The Somali administration is also concerned that declaring famine may cause an outflow of people from affected areas into major cities and towns, pressuring already scarce resources and increasing crime.

Related News

Germany to halt funding for Mediterranean rescue missions

Trump confirms Rwanda-DRC peace deal, gripes about Nobel Peace prize

They are also afraid that declaring famine may deter investors and divert international relief money away from long-term development programs like health care, education, and climate resilience.

The President acknowledged the dilemma in September, saying, “The risk is very high to announce a famine.” Such a declaration, he said, “does not affect the famine victims only, but halts the development and changes the perspectives and everything.”

Threshold for famine reached

Over the past few weeks, frustrated humanitarian workers have claimed that the famine threshold has already been reached in some locations, and they have urged the government to declare a famine in order to draw attention to the problem.

The food crisis affects not only Somalia's 16 million people but an estimated 37 million people throughout the Horn of Africa. Climate change is one of the primary causes of the crisis, and it is the subject of the COP27 climate meeting, which began on Sunday in Egypt.

“The government is afraid of the F-word — famine, that is,” said an aid worker who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. “But the situation is catastrophic and the longer they wait, the worse it gets.”

A famine is declared when 20% of households in an area experience extreme scarcity of food, 30% of children suffer from acute malnutrition, and two adults or four children per 10,000 die from starvation every day. While specialists can define famines and humanitarian organizations can issue warnings, the decision to declare a famine ultimately rests with a country's government and UN agencies.

Read next: Hundreds die as Somalia faces famine

By opposing a famine declaration, Somali officials attempt to buy time and hope that much-needed cash will eventually arrive, according to Mohamed Husein Gaas, head of the Raad Peace Research Institute in Mogadishu, the capital. “But that is not a good policy,” Gaas said. “We need to move fast and save lives.”

Famine may soon be declared in severely affected areas of Somalia. United Nations experts have just finished gathering data on the drought situation and are currently studying it before presenting their findings in mid-November – a step that could prompt authorities to declare a famine.

According to relief organizations, international financing has surged since September, when the United Nations said that famine was "on the horizon" in Somalia. Experts revealed that fund-raising efforts aren’t growing as fast as needed and that donors should have responded to last year’s early warnings to prevent large-scale deaths and displacement now.

For the time being, relief workers say they are racing against the clock to ensure that no more Somalis perish on their watch, as they did in 2011. "One child dying is far too many," Hassan, the Somali NGO's chairman, said.

  • Africa
  • Somalia
  • famine

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemeni air defenses repel substantial part of Israeli aggression

Yemeni air defenses confront Israeli aggression on Hodeidah

  • Politics
  • 7 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS