Somalia calls for Turkish support as drought worsens

Somalia’s president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday called for assistance from Turkey to combat the effects of the severe drought threatening the Horn of Africa.

“The humanitarian situation caused by the drought was one of the issues we discussed in our meeting with (Turkish) President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan,” Mohamud told reporters following a meeting with the Turkish leader.

“I would like to take this opportunity to call upon our Turkish brothers to support us and do what they can, as they did before. Your solidarity and support will save the lives of the Somali people and will never be forgotten.”

Some areas of the Horn of Africa could be declared in famine within weeks because of the driest drought in the region in decades.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has abruptly drawn millions of dollars away from other crises and Somalia, facing a food shortage largely driven by the war, might be the most vulnerable.