Somali leader urges help to avert famine

Somalia’s president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed is urging the world to help avert a massive famine saying almost half the population is facing acute food shortages and 15 per cent are facing famine now.

Mohamed told the UN Security Council by videolink from Mogadishu Thursday that Somalis are resilient and would be the last to ask for help but drought has spawned a humanitarian crisis that could threaten the country’s political and security gains.

The United Nations said Wednesday that the $864 million UN humanitarian appeal for Somalia is only 31 per cent funded.