UN declares famine in two regions of south Somalia

The United Nations has declared the existence of famine in two regions of southern Somalia.

The humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, Mark Bowden, said on Wednesday that southern Bakool and Lower Shabelle had been hit by the worst famine in the region in 20 years, and the situation could spread to all eight regions in the south if donors fail to step in.

Public backlash

In early July, the rebels lifted a ban on food aid which they had said created dependency.

Some analysts say they are allowing aid in because they fear a public backlash if they do not.

Others say the rebels want bribes.

Security guarantees

The UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, said on Tuesday that it was seeking further security guarantees from the armed rebels in order to deliver greater amounts of assistance and prevent more hungry people from becoming refugees.

It said the inability of food agencies to work in the region since early 2010 because of the ban had contributed to the crisis.

"If we don't act now, famine will spread to all eight regions of southern Somalia within two months, due to poor harvests and infectious disease outbreaks," said Bowden.

"Every day of delay in assistance is literally a matter of life or death for children and their families in the famine affected areas," he noted.

Bowden said the UN is appealing for 300 million dollars over the next two months for Somalia alone.

The UN said across the country, nearly half of the Somali population of 3.7 million people were now in danger

It was said that 2.8 million of this people are in the south.

REUTERS/Shakira/Williams