Mogadishu — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday ordered all government institutions to prioritise emergency drought response after visiting the National Disaster Management Agency’s emergency operations centre.
The president received a detailed briefing from agency officials on the worsening drought, including the hardest-hit areas, displacement, environmental degradation and reported loss of life. Officials warned the crisis had reached a critical stage and risked tipping into famine if urgent action is not taken.
Mohamud called on government officials, Somali business leaders, humanitarian organisations and international partners to unite in responding to the growing humanitarian emergency and to prevent further human suffering.
He also instructed the country’s financial authorities to exempt from taxes all aid, donations and services related to drought relief entering Somalia, in a move aimed at speeding up the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected communities.
