BACKGROUND:
SOMALIA DROUGHT AND FAMINE
Onwards from 2009, Somalia experienced interrupted seasonal rains. In 2011, the rains failed causing severe drought which was reported to be “the worst in 60 years” across the East African region . On 20 July 2011, the UN declared a famine in the Lower Shabelle and Bakool, two regions of southern Somalia. On 3 August, famine was further declared in the Balcad and Cadale districts in Middle Shabelle as well as the IDP settlements in Mogadishu and Afgooye in response to data from the UN’s food security and nutrition analysis unit.
The famine is thought to have affected 3.1 million people and cost the lives of more than a quarter million people, while hundreds of thousands more fled across the border into Kenya and Ethiopia. Although the media focussed on drought as the main cause, the 2011 Somalia famine was caused by multiple factors that included conflict, the use of anti-terrorism legislation by the US government to prevent aid reaching Southern Somalia, an increase in global food prices, and other long-standing structural factors.
PGPF was entrusted with RM1.5 million to facilitate aid for Somalia by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The aid mission initiated PGPF to collaborate with the people and government of Malaysia and Somalia to send aid to the Horn of Africa. Focus was given in construction of Artesian Wells and refurbishment of existing wells for long term aid in and around Mogadishu.