Original version

BBC World Service News Internet

The Inquiry

Documentaries

Factual

News

Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world

The Inquiry gets beyond the headlines to explore the trends, forces and ideas shaping the world.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

The Inquiry: Is it too late to avoid famine in Somalia?

Is it too late to avoid famine in Somalia?

24/11/2022 GMT

BBC World Service - The Inquiry, Is it too late to avoid famine in Somalia?

Aid agencies in Somalia say there is famine, so why has the government not declared it?

Somalia is in a state of drought with aid agencies declaring the country is in a state of famine, however, the government has yet to declare it preventing more aid from entering.

Somalia is in a state of drought following four failed rainy seasons, and a fifth predicted, with aid agencies declaring the country is in a state of famine.  Despite this, the government has yet to declare a famine, insisting that certain thresholds have yet to be met. Instead, Somalia’s government believes that they would be more than able to deal with the current crisis, as well as prevent future episodes, had they been properly compensated by industrious nations for the damage caused by climate change.

All this whilst the country continues to fight a near fifteen-year war with the Islamic terrorist group al-Shabab, a militant faction who wish to instil strict sharia law and impose heavy taxes on those who fall under their control. Only six months ago the hard-line Muslim faction were knocking on the door of the capital, Mogadishu. Since then, the different clans and Somalia's military, who all have their own demands and grievances, have put aside their differences and banded together to fight back, driving the terrorist group back. With support for the government currently high, some are fearful that announcing a famine could cause that support to drop away. How long the government can hold for, however, is up for debate as we ask is it too late to avoid a famine in Somalia?

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Producer: Ravi Naik & Christopher Blake
Editor: Tara McDermott


(Image: Somali woman affected by the worsening drought due to failed rain seasons, holds her child as her grandmother looks on: Feisal Omar/Reuters)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Inquiry

Is it too late to avoid famine in Somalia?

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service News Internet

About BBC World Service