Somali president orders joint efforts to tackle severe drought

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has directed government agencies to prioritize emergency drought response and redirect the majority of their work and resources toward urgent humanitarian action.



"President Mohamud called on government leaders, Somali business communities, humanitarian organizations, and international partners to unite in supporting drought-affected communities and to intensify life-saving assistance to prevent further humanitarian consequences," the presidency said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, after Mohamud visited the National Emergency Operations Center of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) on Wednesday.



During the visit, SoDMA response teams briefed the president on areas most severely affected by the drought, outlining increasing displacement, environmental degradation, and reported loss of life.



The president directed the country's financial institutions to provide tax exemptions on all humanitarian aid and related services to accelerate relief efforts nationwide.