AU calls for urgent Somalia aid

The African Union (AU) has called on the international community to help Somali people over the deteriorating humanitarian situation complicated by persisting drought and famine in the poor country. In a Tuesday statement, chairperson of the AU commission Jean Ping appealed to the union partners and international humanitarian organizations to provide "much-needed financial and logistical support" for relief efforts in Somalia. The statement said the Horn of Africa nation is suffering from the combined effects of unrest and drought, AFP reported. The call comes as thousands of Somalis are fleeing to neighboring countries for help. According to the United Nations, it is estimated that a quarter of Somalia's population of 7.5 million is now either internally displaced or living outside the country as refugees. Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also issued an urgent call for aid amid the deepening humanitarian crisis. Ban said Tuesday that more than 11 million people in the lawless state are facing the worst drought in decades. The UN chief urged world countries to donate over 1.5 billion dollars to pay for life-saving programs in the region. “We must do everything we can to prevent this crisis deepening. The human cost of this crisis is catastrophic. We cannot afford to wait,” Ban said. Strategically located in the Horn of Africa, Somalia remains one of the countries generating the highest number of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the world. The United Nations refugee agency reported in April that the number of Somali refugees arriving to neighboring countries during the first quarter of 2011 has more than doubled in comparison to the same period in 2010.