MEDIA RELEASE

Nairobi, 10 November 2023

Action Against Hunger Somalia has secured a £4 Million bilateral grant from the British Embassy in Mogadishu. The grant, which is set to run for six months, will play a crucial role in providing integrated emergency life-saving Health, Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), and Protection support to close to 1 million vulnerable Somalis impacted by the adverse effects of El Niño in South Central Somalia.

The grant signing ceremony occurred at Action Against Hunger’s Regional office, with Damon Bristow, Development Director at the British Embassy Mogadishu, expressing the UK government’s commitment to supporting efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Somalia:

“Through this partnership, we hope to provide humanitarian assistance to populations in south-central Somalia affected by El Nino. This is our first partnership with ACF (Action Against Hunger), and it’s a testament to the impact your interventions are having in Somalia.”

Mr. Albert Siminyu, Regional Director of Action Against Hunger, reaffirmed the organization’s unwavering commitment to addressing the urgent needs of the affected populations in South Central Somalia. He emphasized the importance of collaboration and collective efforts to mitigate the devastating impacts of El Niño in the region.

“We are excited about this partnership and looking forward to not only saving lives in the affected region but also establishing a support system to enable the affected communities to rebuild their lives,” he said.

According to Action Against Hunger Somalia, the anticipated flooding from El Niño is expected to exacerbate the already challenging humanitarian situation caused by prolonged droughts. The floods may lead to the outbreak of diseases such as cholera and other waterborne illnesses. Furthermore, the El Niño phenomenon is predicted to significantly impact agriculture and food production, increasing the risk of food insecurity and potential malnutrition. The consequences of El Niño can intensify existing vulnerabilities, potentially leading to population displacement and conflict in Somalia, thereby amplifying health, nutrition, and protection risks for the affected communities.

The Caafimaad Plus Consortium, the largest Health and Nutrition Consortium in Somalia, will implement the project. The consortium comprises five international and three local humanitarian organizations led by Action Against Hunger.

For further information, please contact:

Ahmed Khalif, Country Director, akhalif@so-actionagainsthunger.org

Mohamud Ali, Communications Manager, British Embassy Mogadishu, mohamud.ali@fcdo.gov.uk