UN declared famine in rebel-held southern Somalia
The United Nations has declared a famine in parts of rebel-held southern Somalia, “Financial Times” writes.
Aid agencies say 11.5m people are severely affected by a drought across Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, but this is the first time the resulting food shortage has been declared a famine.
Mark Bowden, humanitarian co-ordinator for Somalia, said two regions in the south of the country – southern Bakool and Lower Shabelle – were experiencing famine. “These are truly shocking figures,” Mr Bowden told reporters in Nairobi, in front of a panel of UN aid agency heads, saying Somalia was at the “epicenter” of a regional food crisis.