New Delhi [India], July 27 (ANI): India has dispatched a consignment of 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistance to the people of Somalia in a significant gesture of international solidarity towards the African nation, which had been grappling with an escalating crisis amid internal conflict, climate shocks and economic hardships.

According to a post on X by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the consignment comprises a variety of critical medical supplies, including essential medicines, surgical items, hospital essentials and biomedical equipment.

'India's humanitarian assistance to the people of Somalia continues. A consignment comprising of 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, which includes essential medicines, surgical items, hospital essentials and biomedical equipment, has departed for ,' the post read.

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1949140847049511058?t=jh8fzdFH18__clBbPzbe6Q&s=08

The packages were also prominently marked with the Indian national flag and labelled 'Gift from the People and Government of India.'

According to the European Commission, Somalia had endured prolonged conflict and extreme weather conditions for decades.

The 2020-2023 drought, caused by five consecutive failed rainy seasons, affected 90 per cent of the country and impacted over 8 million people.

The 2023 Deyr rainy season, from October to December, was exacerbated by the El Nino effect, resulting in above-average rainfall and massive flooding that affected 2.5 million people, including 1.2 million who were forcibly displaced, the Commission stated.

Somalia is currently experiencing the effects of La Nina, which is projected to persist until at least mid-2025. This is causing dry spells and below-average rainfall, which will heighten food insecurity, increase the risk of cholera and waterborne diseases, and intensify resource-based conflicts among clans.

Conflict, floods, droughts, disease outbreaks, and displacement affect 47 per cent of Somalia's population, necessitating humanitarian assistance, the Commission stated.

Six million people will require immediate, life-saving humanitarian aid and protection in 2025. Although the most pressing need for households is food, half of Somalia's population lacks access to water, and finding suitable housing remains challenging.

Access to quality medical care remains scarce, particularly in underserved and rural areas. Communities that have been displaced are especially vulnerable.

According to the Commission, by the end of 2025, 1.8 million children under the age of five are predicted to suffer from severe malnutrition, and 4.6 million people will experience acute food insecurity.

Forced displacement is expected to occur in 2025 on a comparable scale to 2024 due to conflict and extreme climate events. (ANI)