The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is in London to co-host the Global Food Security Summit with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the United Arab Emirates, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The summit will bring together government leaders, aid groups, scientists involved in global research initiatives, and climate and food experts. It will also feature various sessions focusing on innovative agricultural practices, climate-resilient farming, international cooperation for resource allocation, and supporting countries like Somalia, which are on the frontline of the food security battle due to geographic and socio-political factors.
According to the United Nations, the latest analysis indicates that between April and June 2023, approximately 6.6 million people in Somalia experienced high levels of acute food insecurity.
Floods caused by heavy rains that began in early October in Somalia resulted in the death of 50 people and displaced over half a million others, as reported by the country’s national disaster agency.
The Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) stated that the torrential rains also triggered landslides and flash floods in other parts of Somalia, destroying crops and livestock.