Mixed reports from aid organizations in Somalia after al-Shabab pulls out of Mogadishu

Aug 12 2011

The news from the Horn of Africa is "mixed," NPR's "All Things Considered" reports, adding, "More food is getting through and security has improved for now, but tens of thousands of children have already died and many more are at risk." According to NPR, "Aid groups were pleased last week when al-Shabab, which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization, pulled out of the capital, Mogadishu. That made a dangerous country a little bit less so for aid workers" (Keleman, 8/10). 

The World Food Programme (WFP) "said it has been able to reach more parts of famine-struck Somalia in the last month but there were still significant security challenges in Mogadishu even though Islamist rebels have left the capital," according to Reuters (Bayoumy, 8/11).

"Aid groups have also faced challenges raising money and awareness about the crisis," NPR writes (8/10). According to CNN, the U.N. "said almost $2.5 billion is needed to cope with the crisis. So far, it has only received 48 percent of that and is lacking $1.2 billion. For Somalia ... the United Nations has received about half of the roughly $1 billion needed" (Elbagir/Basu, 8/11).