On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited a camp for internally displaced people in Baidoa, located in the southwest region of Somalia, to assess the humanitarian situation in the country, which is currently facing a severe drought and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited a camp for internally displaced people in Baidoa, Somalia on Tuesday to hear their concerns and assess the humanitarian situation in the country.

Guterres expressed encouragement at the progress made by Somalia in liberating areas from the Islamist insurgency waged by Al-Shabaab.

However, over a million people have been displaced in Somalia due to drought conditions that have created near-famine conditions in the country. The situation has been worsened by climate change and terrorism and requires massive support from the international community.

The United Nations has launched a $2.6 billion call for humanitarian assistance, but Guterres revealed that only 15 percent of the appeal had been funded. While famine thresholds have not been reached in Somalia, around 8.3 million people, or half the population, will need humanitarian assistance this year due to the drought.