By Dawan Africa - Reporter
Kismayo(Mogadishu24)-The Prime Minister of Somalia, Hamza Abdi Bare, accompanied by a delegation including the ambassadors of Turkey and China, as well as the United Nations Office in Somalia, visited Northern Kismayo on Tuesday to provide humanitarian assistance to thousands of people affected by the floods.
The humanitarian assistance, provided by the Chinese embassy in Somalia, consisted of food items, including rice, wheat, sugar, and edible oil, for over 1,200 internally displaced families.
Ms. Khadija Affey Nur, one of the beneficiaries of this aid, stated that this assistance would help the vulnerable people who have been displaced by the floods.
She mentioned that the floods have destroyed large farm areas in the locations on which the community has been depending.
“I am from Yontooy location, which mainly depends on agricultural farming. The location is among other places severely impacted by the floods. Our farms have been destroyed, and we had to flee our homes with our lives and our clothes only. There are people from other locations too who are here and came to find higher ground like us,” Ms. Khadija said.
She added, “The majority of us were rescued by the government after the bridge was swept away by the floods, and we had already been given tents. Today, we are here, waiting to receive food items and other essential commodities that will help us meet our daily needs. We are also expecting more aid from the government and well-wishers.”
Chinese Ambassador to Somalia, Mr. Fei Shengchao reiterated the Chinese government’s commitment to providing further assistance to the vulnerable people affected by the devastating floods.
“Kismayo, a beautiful land as I previously heard, has today been severely affected by the floods, displacing families. We understand the urgent need for a humanitarian response and previously processed cash transfers to buy food items for the affected people through the federal government, and we are still working hard to respond to the situation and provide additional support,” Ambassador Shengchao said.
Jubaland State President, Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Islam commended the role of the international partners and called for additional support.
He mentioned the state administration's efforts in rescuing people and facilitating resettlement for new displaced people daily as the situation worsens.
President Madobe stated that his administration has established a disaster and flood response led by his deputy president, Mohamed Sayid Aden.
The Prime Minister called on Somalia’s international partners to double their assistance and thanked them for their support, particularly the Chinese government, for providing humanitarian aid.
“We thank the Chinese government for providing food items to these affected people. In fact, there are others who have not been lucky like them and are still on the rooftops to save their lives and others who are trapped in the floods. We are calling on our international partners to provide immediate humanitarian support to Somalia during this difficult period,” the prime minister said.
Heavy rains and riverine flooding in major parts of the country have disrupted essential services in Somalia, including healthcare, education, and the supply of food items since October.
According to the Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), the torrential rains and riverine flooding have killed at least 96 people and affected more than 2 million, including over 700,000 displacements.
