Drought to displace thousands in Somalia by year end

The rate of internal displacement in Somalia is expected to hit record levels this year, as drought ravages parts of the country, leaving tens of thousands of people without water and livelihoods, the Norwegian Refugee Council has warned.

According to data from the Protection and Monitoring Returns Network led by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 112,000 people have been displaced in the first three months of 2021, of which 34 percent resulted from drought.

"Once again Somalia is facing the prospect of serious drought. Water and pasture resources are depleting every day and resulting in people abandoning their homes with their livestock to search for better conditions," Mohamed Abdi, country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Somalia, said in a statement.

Abdi said according to reports from the council’s staff on the ground, more than 50 districts are currently experiencing moderate to severe drought levels and it is expected to get worse.

He said the impact of drought runs parallel with the impact of flooding in other parts of the country.

"It sounds contradictory but simultaneous flooding and drought are a reality in Somalia. Flooding was the main driver of high displacement last year," Abdi said.

"Some rains have dropped in the past number of days, so our teams on the ground are also working towards flooding preparedness and to support those in critical need. We have to prepare for all climate shocks."

According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, the leading international body monitoring conflict-induced internal displacement worldwide, based in Geneva, internal displacement in Somalia is not only a humanitarian priority but also a challenge for socioeconomic development.

The organization said internal displacement was estimated to have cost Somalia 21.5 percent of its gross domestic product, or $1 billion in 2019.

It said achieving the socio-economic stabilization of people displaced by drought is a priority for the government and for humanitarian actors.

"Many internally displaced people have, until now, lived in rural areas and do not have the skills required to find work in cities. They have, however, demonstrated a capacity to adapt and may do so when conditions in their host areas improve," the organization said in a statement.

To address drought displacement in Somalia, the organization recommends climate-sensitive agriculture and innovative, climate-related solutions for seeds and production.

This is in addition to nature-based solutions, such as permaculture and regreening, in areas outside of urban centers that receive less attention.

The organization said despite having fewer resources and services, secondary cities receive a high number of displaced people and also tend to receive lower levels of international support than larger cities.

"There must be funding for rural development to prevent displacement to urban areas and encourage returns. Greater investment must be made in supporting hard-to-reach rural areas, delivering services to minority and excluded groups and promoting community-led solutions in rural areas," the organization said.

It said multi-year and multi-sector funding in rural areas will help reduce displacement resulting from future shocks. It will also help strengthen the resilience of displaced communities and the capacity of the municipalities that host them.

Another recommendation is provision of safety nets, skills training, drought insurance plans, small business grants and unconditional cash transfers in urban areas with high numbers of internally displaced people.

It also recommended assessments to determine levels of tenure security, the generation of title deeds for land and the provision of specialized legal aid services in informal settlements and urban internally displaced people sites.