Somalia is experiencing a drought, which has led to a severe food crisis and the deaths of many citizens – especially women and children. Experts say that this is the worst drought crisis that the country has faced in about 50 years.
According to the United Nations and government sources, more than half of the country's population – amounting to about 7.1 million people is facing severe starvation.
Many critics claim that the African Union (AU) has not done enough to help Somalia. They say that the AU has continued to turn a blind eye to the predicament facing citizens of the country as mothers are burying their children daily.
The rise in statistics of child mortality is a result of food scarcity and starvation. In a recent report by the BBC, helpless mothers recounted tales of how they have run of our materials to mark the graves of their children.
Climate conditions in the country have worsened over the past four decades, which has seen the number of displaced persons increase to about 805,000.
Critics have faulted the response of the African Union, saying that the big brothers in the continent have turned a blind eye to Somalia. In the past, the European Union Council has approved multiple financial supports for missions in Somalia.
Earlier this year, the European Union Council approved an additional €120 million to €65 million earlier donated in 2021. Many social observers say that the AU has depended solely on foreign aid as against mobilizing local support for the Somalia citizens.
Speaking on the severe effects of the drought, an official of UNICEF, identified as Victor Chinyama, was quoted as saying that local communities around Mogadishu, known for supporting new arrivals, are now struggling themselves. "Host communities can't support new arrivals like they used to, like they would want to," he said.
A UNICEF camp director, who was identified simply as Mohammed says she has overseen the burials of more than 30 children. She said there are always mounds of freshly dug earth marked simply with aloe leaves and acacia branches which indicate the grave of a child.
"From that corner to this one, this line of graves is all children. You feel such pain, sadness when you bury a baby. You can do nothing to help. I am a mom and I can feel their pain as a parent," Mohammed said.
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