Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 10/2012

You Have Been Warned: One year on from UN declaration of famine, Somalia faces worsening food crisis

Roger Middleton

July 2012

Oxfam Publishing

Abstract

In 2011 the world waited for the UN to declare famine before providing assistance on the level needed to save lives in Somalia – this delayed response wasted lives and money. We are now seeing warnings of Somalia slipping back into crisis and cannot afford to make the same mistake again – governments and agencies should respond now in ways that make people better able to withstand the next disaster to strike.