The U.N Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed for “massive international support” for Somalia during his visit to the East African country that is facing the worst drought in decades.
He said Somalia is facing humanitarian difficulties at the same time that it is combating a serious terrorism threat.
At a joint press briefing with President Hassan S heikh Mohamud, Guterres told reporters he was "here to ring the alarm on the need of massive international support because of the humanitarian difficulties the country is facing.”
The U.N secretary-general was given a red carpet welcome complete with a guard of honour as he was received at the main international airport by Somalia and U.N officials.
He thanked Mohamud for the warm welcome. He is expected to be hosted at a special Iftar — the breaking of the Ramadan fast - later o n Tuesday evening.
Most of Mogadishu was locked down for Guterres' visit, with restricted movement of public transport.
President Mohamud thanked Guterres for his historic visit in the midst of tackling humanitarian challenges and accelerating war against terrorism.
“This visit assures us that the U.N is fully committed to supporting our plans for state-building and stabilizing the country. We are confident that the Somali people will be able to overcome the problems and challenges they are still facing through the completion of the liberation of the country and reconciliation,” Mohamud said.
More than 6 million are facing food shortages due to Somalia’s severe drought. The country also faces insecurity as it battles thousands of fighters from al-Qaida’s East Africa affiliate, al-Shabab.
Mr Guterres arrived in Mogadishu on Tuesday morning as part of his Ramadan solidarity visits to selected Muslim-majority countries each year.
The UN had launched a $2.6 billion appeal for humanitarian aid for the troubled Horn of Africa nation, but it is currently only 13 percent funded.
Five straight failed rainy seasons in parts of Somalia as well as Kenya and Ethiopia have led to the worst drought in four decades, wiping out livestock and crops and forcing at least 1.7 million people from their homes in search of food and water.
While famine thresholds have not been reached in Somalia, the United Nations says about half its population will need humanitarian assistance this year, with 8.3 million affected by the drought.
Antonio Guterres began his tradition of paying a solidarity visit during Ramadan, while he was High Commissioner for Refugees, running the refugee agency UNHCR – a job he held for ten years, before taking up the UN’s top job in 2017.
Last year he visited Nigeria, Niger and Senegal where he addressed issues of insecurity, climate change and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on food security as well as called unity between people of different faiths.
