Press Release

24 November 2006

DFID Commit £2 million in response to severe flooding in Southern Somalia

The Department for International Development has responded immediately to the current crisis of severe flooding in southern Somalia and strongly encourages other donors to do the same. DFID has agreed a further £2 million in humanitarian aid for flood-response activities. In detail, £330,000 has been allocated to Save the Children (UK), and £835,000 each to International Committee of the Red Cross and UN OCHA's Humanitarian Response Fund. These funds will be used to bring emergency relief to the flood-affected populations in south Somalia including provision of shelter, food and medical care. The UK is the second largest bilateral donor for humanitarian activities in Somalia committing £13.8 million for food, water and emergency health care between December 2005 and August 2006. This additional support brings the total DFID commitment for humanitarian assistance to £15.8million since December 2005.

Southern Somalia is currently facing one of the worst floods in its recent history as the Horn of Africa experiences a moderate El Nino. Torrential downpours over the last few weeks have led to the Shabelle and Juba Valley rivers bursting their banks, the consequences of which have been immediate and hard hitting on an area that only a short while ago was in the grips of a severe drought. The most recent reports indicate that approximately 336,000 people have been displaced from the Shabelle and Juba riverine areas and the UN anticipates that up to one million people could be directly affected by the flooding over the coming weeks. The floods are exacerbating an already precarious humanitarian situation in the south, where the political instability and possibilities of widespread conflict continue to threaten Somalia's recovery.

For further information, contact +44 (0)20 7023 0600, e-mail pressoffice@dfid.gov.uk  or call our Public Enquiries Point on +44 (0)845 300 4100. DFID News is available on this website at www.dfid.gov.uk 

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