Somalia president appeals to diaspora to help tackle drought

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has appealed to Somalis living abroad and the international community to help those affected by a drought crisis in the country's north.

Mohamud said the Somali diaspora in particular had a duty to provide help and financial assistance to the people suffering from drought.

"I appeal to the Somali people, wherever they are all over the world to help and stand shoulder to shoulder with the suffering Somali people who lack food and water due to the drought in the country," Mohamud said.

The country main rainy season usually lasts from April to June, but it passed this year with substantially lower rainfall in certain areas, particularly on Somalia's border with Ethiopia where there have been cases on malnutrition-linked deaths.

The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reported that parts of Somalia had experienced far lower rates of rainfall than on average.

"With no more rainfall expected in the coming months, most of Puntland regions and the coastal areas of Mudug and Galgaduud regions remain under drought conditions," the FAO said in their seasonal report.

Mohamud said that the north-western and north-eastern regions had been hit the hardest and "urgently" appealed to the international community to provide aid.

"I also appeal to the international community to immediately come to the aid of the Somali people in the affected areas before the situation gets worse.

"It is time that an actual interference is made and aid is delivered very urgently, in particular to the drought stricken areas of the country."

The UN reported in September that nearly 5 million people, around 40 percent of Somalia's population, were facing food shortages.