Drought-hit - Kuwait relief mission first to arrive in Somalia

- Asif Khalifa
Sunday, 24 July 2011

Global Arab Network - Kuwait Red Crescent Society's mission was the first to arrive in Somalia to offer humanitarian relief aid to the drought-hit Somali people, Head of KRCS mission to Somalia Musaed Rashid Al-Enezi told KUNA.

KRCS has started its work in Somalia with sending two planes loaded with 20 tons of aid immediately following the UN appeal upon instruction from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

HH the Amir has pledged USD 10 million in aid for the Somali people, who are suffering from malnutrition and famine as a result of the worst drought to hit the nation in 10 years.

The mission was warmly welcomed by the Somali people and government, Al-Enezi said, noting that Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmad has received KRCS mission and hailed HH the Amir's initiative.

"The charitable work of the state of Kuwait is not strange to a country that used to offer all help to Somalia and all Arab nations," he said.

Last week, the UN declared that two regions in the south of the war-torn country were suffering from famine. Hundreds were dying every day across the Horn of Africa region, the FAO said.

The United Nations issued an appeal of aid to address what it is calling the worst food crisis in Africa in 20 years.

Nearly half of Somalia's estimated 10 million people face a food crisis and malnutrition rates there are the highest in the world.

Source: Global Arab Network.
Link: http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/2011072411240/Related-news-from-Kuwait/drought-hit-kuwait-relief-mission-first-to-arrive-in-somalia.html.