MOGADISHU, 13 April, 2021 (TON): The UN and Somalia issued a joint statement saying over 116,000 Somalis have been displaced by extreme water shortages since October 2020.

The statement issued by Mogadishu and the UN Somalia office said, “Most parts of the country are facing critical water shortages, with more than 50 districts facing moderate to severe drought conditions.”

They expressed deep concern about the worsening drought conditions.

In the statement, Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Minister Khadija Mohamed Diriye appealed to donors to give generously and to give now to help respond rapidly to the drought which she said was compounding the effects of the various crises in this country.

She said, "We are facing widespread food insecurity, malnutrition, population displacement and disease. We need funding now to save lives, alleviate suffering and get assistance out before the situation becomes a complete catastrophe."

However, Somalia has been facing especially concerning conditions as forecasts indicate a second consecutive season of below-average rainfall from April to June.