World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

The U.N. says millions of people in Somalia still require humanitarian aid, despite advances against al-Shabab militants. A new funding appeal has been launched to address the country’s immediate needs and build resilience against future shocks, such as droughts, floods or further conflict. (..) A three year strategy has been launched called the Somalia Consolidated Appeal Plan. It asks for $1.3 billion for the first year.

Somalia remains fragile with about 3.8 million people in need of life-saving assistance, out of a population of 9.5 million, and 1.4 million people internally displaced. Given the country's precarious condition, the UN this week launched a $1.3bn (£807m) appeal for Somalia for the next three years. (..) The $1.3bn appeal will be for 369 humanitarian projects. The FAO, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN children's agency (Unicef) will lead this programme, which will involve 177 national and international NGOs and other UN agencies operating in Somalia.

As Somalia prepares to elect a new president, one of the biggest challenges faced by the country's voters is securing food. (..) The election on Monday comes as the nation struggles to recover from last year's famine, when tens of thousands died.

A UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) staff member has been killed in an attack by an armed group in Southern Somalia. "Our deepest condolences go out to the family and colleagues of Mr. Yassin Mohamed Hassan, who was killed this morning in Merka," said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva.

Fighting and displacement are devastating Somalia, but projects to create longer-term resilience are slowly bearing fruit.

The UN Secretary-General has called for urgent international aid for Somalia to head off the risk of warlords exploiting a power vacuum after the scheduled change of power in August. (..) "I urge donors to contribute to this critical effort. In the face of terrorism, piracy and drought, Somalia needs solidarity," he told delegates from more than 50 countries gathered in Istanbul for an international conference on Somalia.

The World Food Program says thousands of people in Somaliland are enjoying a better, more varied diet since it introduced its voucher scheme. (..) Since the vouchers were introduced, WFP notes there has been an increase in the number of people bringing their children in for nutrition screening. Because of this, undernourished children are more likely to get the treatment they need to make them healthy.

David Orr, East, Central and Southern Africa Spokesman for the World Food Program, told the HPR that because of conflict in Somalia, there has been a lack of humanitarian access to the affected areas. (..) Some critics believe governments are not doing enough to provide aid to developing countries. Others are against foreign assistance altogether. While assistance can often be categorized as aid in emergency contexts, the World Food Program actually focuses heavily on combining work and food initiatives.

Officials in the self-declared republic of Somaliland, north-western Somalia, are appealing for food aid and potable water for thousands of families who have lost their livelihoods in the current drought. (..) In February, WFP provided food assistance to nearly 150,000 people in Somaliland, according to Challiss McDonough, WFP's Senior Spokesperson for East, Central and Southern Africa. (..) About 48,000 people also received food through the school meals programme; at least 42,000 received assistance through WFP’S food-for-assets programme and 8,000 others from its food-for-work activities.

Officials in the self-declared republic of Somaliland, north-western Somalia, are appealing for food aid and potable water for thousands of families who have lost their livelihoods in the current drought. (..) In February, WFP provided food assistance to nearly 150,000 people in Somaliland, according to Challiss McDonough, WFP's Senior Spokesperson for East, Central and Southern Africa. (..) About 48,000 people also received food through the school meals programme; at least 42,000 received assistance through WFP’S food-for-assets programme and 8,000 others from its food-for-work activities.