The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced on Monday a significant financial boost of $6.6 million to aid forcibly displaced individuals, including refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and their host communities in Somalia. This vital support comes as the nation grapples with the severe aftermath of an unprecedented drought and continuous conflict, affecting millions.
Charles Mballa, the UNHCR’s representative in Somalia, highlighted the funding’s crucial role in providing immediate relief, such as durable shelter for families affected by floods. “This funding will support initiatives that enhance self-reliance, a huge step in enhancing solutions for people forced to flee in the country,” Mballa stated from Mogadishu, the Somali capital.
The investment will also fortify community-based protection measures targeting women, children, and individuals with disabilities or other specific needs. Furthermore, it aims to promote gender equality and empowerment initiatives across the country.
Somalia, a nation hosting over 38,000 refugees and asylum seekers primarily from Ethiopia, Yemen, and Syria, faces a daunting challenge with nearly 4 million people internally displaced. This places Somalia among the countries with the largest IDP populations globally and the third highest in the East, Horn of Africa, and Great Lakes region.