Norway to provide large boost in aid to Somalia

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‘It is vital to respond to the huge need for emergency aid and at the same time think about how to prevent such situations from occurring again. In addition to allocating a further NOK 25 million in humanitarian aid, we are signing an agreement with the World Bank focusing on good governance, climate change adaptation and long-term food security,’ said Minister of International Development Anne Beathe Tvinnereim.

‘For example, in addition to trucking in water to drought-stricken areas, it is vital to drill new wells’, said Ms Tvinnereim.

Somalia is suffering from its worst drought in 40 years. After the failure of several consecutive rainy seasons, more than 36 million people are affected by drought in parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

High food prices as a result of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine are making the situation even worse.

More than 20 million people in the Horn of Africa have too little food and need immediate assistance. The number of people affected is rising rapidly. In Somalia alone, around 7.5 million people lack food.

The emergency aid is being channelled through the Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF), which is managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

‘This funding will be used to alleviate humanitarian needs in drought-stricken areas of Somalia,’ said Ms Tvinnereim.

The SHF is a vital channel for local humanitarian efforts. More than 60 % of support from the fund has gone directly to local and national organisations.

 ‘I have visited two refugee camps today. Somalia is being devastated by a series of overlapping crises. Refugees have been driven from their homes either by drought or by violent conflict. Climate change is exacerbating the situation. This visit has allowed us to observe and assess the results of Norway’s efforts to improve security and support regime stabilisation,’ said Ms Tvinnereim.

‘We can also learn important lessons about the use of resources and the outcomes of our efforts,’ said the minister.

Because of its situation, Somalia has been identified as one of six Norwegian partner countries in the category for stabilisation and conflict prevention.

Norway has already allocated almost NOK 200 million in humanitarian aid to Somalia in 2022. The most important partner organisations are the UN, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Norwegian humanitarian organisations.

The World Bank system has been the largest single channel for long-term Norwegian aid to Somalia in the past ten years. Norway has contributed NOK 890 million to the bank’s multi-donor trust fund for Somalia since 2015 and is the third-largest donor to the fund, after the EU and the UK.

The new agreement with the World Bank for the period 2022 to 2024 will be used to support good governance projects and development projects on topics including access to clean drinking water, electricity supplies, health and education.

The projects will have a clear focus on climate change adaptation and food security and on challenges arising from urbanisation, which is now accelerating as a result of the drought.