Iran writes to OIC on famine-hit Somalia

Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi sent a letter to Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, expressing deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Somali, which has been affected by famine.

In the letter, Salehi welcomed the OIC’s decision to put the issue of Somalia on the agenda of the next meeting of the organization in a bid to coordinate efforts to dispatch humanitarian aid to Somalis.

He also briefed Ihsanoglu on the humanitarian aid that the Islamic Republic has sent to the African country so far.

On July 20, the United Nations declared a famine in two regions of southern Somalia owing to the worst drought in decades, and appealed for urgent resources to assist millions of people in desperate need of help.

Famine is declared when acute malnutrition rates among children exceed 30 per cent, more than two people per 10,000 die per day, and people are not able to access food and other basic necessities, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

On August 7, Salehi announced that Iran plans to donate $25 million in humanitarian aid to the people affected by famine in Somalia