AFRICA: SOMALIA: CARITAS DISTRIBUTES FOOD AND MEDICINE

Agenzia Fides REPORT - "Though al-Shabaab has left Mogadishu, there are still pockets of resistance in the city, and Somalia continues to be a difficult operating environment for local and international NGOs", said Caritas Somalia Situational Report, of which a copy was sent to Fides. "There have been incidents with explosive devices in the Somali capital in the past weeks and violence at food distribution points, as reported by sources of AMISOM (the African Union Mission to Somalia) and the Transitional Government".
As for the rest of south-central Somalia, where according to the UN, 3 million people are suffering because of drought, Caritas Somalia report says, "aid delivery continues to be challenging in Al- Shabaab controlled areas. AMISOM offered to help with security for NGOs operating in Mogadishu". However, HCT (Humanitarian Country Team, UN responsible for coordinating the various humanitarian organizations in Somalia) strongly recommended not to use foreign troops for aid delivery. HCT warned that AMISOM’s presence around delivery could further complicate the environment and instead encourage an impartial and transparent strategy involving local communities.
Caritas Somalia continues to support drought affected and displaced communities in Mogadishu and Lower Juba and Lower Shabelle regions. Through its local partners, Caritas is distributing loads of food parcels, tents and medicine. In Brava region, Caritas Somalia, through local partners has distributed food parcels to 515 families. In Lower Juba, Caritas is providing 2,730 children under five, 945 pregnant women and lactating mothers and 670 elderly people with supplementary feeding. In Bogoley, Caritas Somalia is supporting the construction of a field clinical that will serve the drought affected host communities and displaced families. In Mogadishu, Caritas Somalia through its local partners is assisting 1,050 displaced families.
These activities include that carried out by Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Caritas Switzerland and Luxembourg and Trocaire, in different areas, both in Somaliland (north) and in south-central Somalia. (L.M.)

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