MOGADISHU, Nov. 29, (Xinhua/GNA) — Humanitarian agencies on Tuesday, appealed to the world leaders meeting in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for the upcoming 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, to find long-term solutions for people affected by the climate crisis in Somalia.
The aid agencies under the umbrella of the Somalia NGO Consortium, said there is an urgent need for solutions to address the impact of climate change. “We appeal for prioritization of climate change financing to address disaster-induced climate change and adaptability in Somalia, one of the worst hit countries by the impact of climate change, despite its greenhouse emission being less than even one percent,” said Nimo Hassan, the director of Somalia NGO consortium, in a joint statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
According to the UN, Somalia has endured more than 30 climate-related hazards since 1990, including droughts and floods.
Hassan said the interchange between severe drought and devastating floods has become a recurring cycle, pushing communities to the brink of survival. “The devastation is heartbreaking. The floods have reinforced the urgent need for sustainable infrastructure and disaster preparedness. Investing in flood-resistant and early warning systems can save lives,” Hassan said.
Somalia is facing a flood emergency, that has killed at least 96 people and affected more than 2.3 million others, according to the Somali government.
The impact of El Nino, coupled with a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, is expected to affect more people living in riverine areas, and destroy 1.5 million hectares of farmland, according to the UN.
This is not Somalia’s first time facing the deadly cycle of droughts and floods, as three consecutive years of flooding since 2018, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, the UN said.
The humanitarian agencies that recently visited Baidoa and Beledweyne towns in Somalia, to assess the humanitarian situation following floods caused by El Nino rains, said the once bustling now deserted, with only a few brave souls venturing out on small boats to navigate the flooded roads.
“The floodwaters had caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including roads, schools, and displaced people settlements, further exacerbating the challenges faced by the local communities, who had been trying to come up with terms with the impacts of the biting drought,” Hassan said.
GNA