JEDDAH: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) issued an urgent appeal to assist the Federal Republic of Somalia in view of the severe conditions it faces.
The OIC has called upon all its member states and partners in the humanitarian field to contribute to alleviating the suffering of the people affected by the drought and famine there, and engage in a rapid intervention before the humanitarian situation worsens and escalates out of control.
The pan Islamic body pointed out that its Development Office in Somalia is ready to cooperate in the delivery of humanitarian aid in the areas affected by drought.
The OIC appeal follows the request issued by the Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohammed last November in this regard.
It is worth mentioning that the wave of drought and severe famine hit vast areas of Somalia due to delayed rainfall for five consecutive seasons; a condition that led to a new humanitarian disaster in most regions of Somalia, particularly, in the central and northern parts similar to the humanitarian catastrophe that swept the country in early 2011.
The affected people in the current situation are estimated at 760,000 in all the regions of the country that encompass broad areas of Somaliland and Puntland, as well as Hiran region, Gedo, Lower Juba and Bkolo that overall constitute more than two-thirds of the Somalian territory.
