MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s disaster management chief on Thursday opened a national conference in Mogadishu aimed at accelerating the country’s response to worsening drought conditions affecting large parts of the country.
Mahmoud Moallim Abdulle, commissioner of the Somali National Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), said the meeting would focus on assessing the scale of the drought, its impact on communities and how to coordinate an urgent response to the needs of those affected.
The conference, held at SoDMA’s National Emergency Operations Centre, brought together ministers from Somalia’s federal member states, officials from the Benadir regional administration, representatives from the prime minister’s office and other senior federal and regional authorities.
Speaking at the opening session, Abdulle stressed the need for swift humanitarian assistance to protect lives and reduce the impact of the crisis, calling for unity and cooperation among all relevant institutions.
He said SoDMA would continue to lead relief efforts and strengthen coordination among government bodies and partners to ensure effective aid reaches the most vulnerable populations in drought-hit areas.
