To help Somalia, which faces an increased risk of famine due to drought and the aftermath of the war in Ukraine, the EU is launching a humanitarian airlift to deliver emergency aid - mainly food and medicine - to areas that are difficult to reach by road, the European Commission announced on 6 July.
This large-scale logistical operation will require a total of 50 to 70 flights during the dry season, according to the Commission.
These essential supplies, funded by the EU, are intended for partner humanitarian organisations in the field.
The first flight, carrying 6.5 tonnes of therapeutic nutrition and medical supplies, was due to leave the south-western district of Elbarde on the same day. Between 6 and 11 July, more flights are expected to reach the Baidoa, Luuq and Wajid areas.
“Already more than 805,000 people have been newly displaced by the drought, a situation expected only to deteriorate further”, the European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said in a statement.
In Somalia, more than 7.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and thousands are threatened by famine.
The EU has allocated up to €800,000 of its budget for this humanitarian operation.
In 2022, the EU allocated €61 million for humanitarian projects in Somalia, mainly responding to the ongoing drought. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)