Friday January 26, 2024
Many of those forced to flee conflict, flooding and drought are arriving to overcrowded sites like this one in Baidoa, in Somalia’s South West State. © UNHCR/Nabil Narch
Mogadishu (HOL) - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that the complex humanitarian crisis in Somalia intensified in 2023, with approximately 2.9 million people internally displaced due to a combination of flooding, conflict, insecurity, and drought.
Flooding was the leading cause, responsible for 57 percent of these displacements, while conflict and drought accounted for 25 and 18 percent, respectively.
The UNHCR's latest operational report, released Tuesday, highlights the significant challenges in Somalia. Access to many areas remains limited due to ongoing conflict and insecurity. The situation in Somalia is further complicated by long-standing conflict, political tensions, clan dynamics, and the effects of climate change.
Military actions by the Somali National Army and its partners against non-state armed groups have inadvertently led to civilian casualties and displacements. The UN Refugee Agency noted that political tensions remain high in Puntland due to disputes over the election schedule.
The Somali Disaster Management Agency reported that the October-December 2023 rainy season had a substantial impact, affecting over 2.4 million people and displacing more than one million. Exacerbated by El Nino conditions and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole phenomenon, the season saw excessive rains, flash floods, and riverine floods, leading to loss of life, property destruction, and limited access to essential services, exacerbating the displacement crisis.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the heavy El Nino rains, responsible for numerous floods and hundreds of deaths in Somalia last year, are expected to persist into 2024. OCHA advises Somalis to prepare for above-normal rainfall levels.
The organization anticipates that these rains will result in extensive flooding across various regions of Somalia during March and April of this year. However, the flooding is projected to subside around May or June.