Somalia, environmental and security crisis. Bianchessi: “Self-sufficiency is the key to sustainability

How to address the current situation in Somalia? "The development of economic 'self-sufficiency' is the only key to the sustainability of Somalia."

With these words, Andrea Bianchessi, Regional Manager for AVSI Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), commented on Somalia's situation in an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Sole24 Ore. Bianchessi highlighted the necessity for the Country to overcome its internal challenges, generated by two different but deeply interrelated crises: climate and security.

Following a prolonged period of drought beginning in 2020, Somalia was hit by floods at the end of 2023, caused by El Niño, the climatic phenomenon that occurs when the surface of the central Pacific Ocean experiences prolonged temperature increases, raising the risk of extreme weather events.

The drought and the subsequent floods had a strong impact on the agriculture and livestock sectors: the torrential rains and the inundations submerged 80% of the harvest, exposing the population to further vulnerability. In addition to the damage caused by climate changes, there is also the increment of violence by armed groups fighting with Mogadishu authorities to gain more control and power over the territory. Because of this unstable situation, both on the climatic and security fronts, from the beginning of 2024 until May of the same year, over a million Somalis had to leave their homes in search of a safer place, bringing the number of displaced persons to 3.8 million (UNHCR).

In such a geographically strategic country - with access to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, a growing young population, and a GDP growth estimated by the World Bank to be above 3% - the opportunities for growth and improvement are already present within the country itself, according to Bianchessi. These opportunities span from the agricultural sector to fishing and the existing leather industry.

With its interventions, AVSI continues to work in Somalia to guarantee concrete actions in the agricultural and environmental sectors to support the Somali population and its recovery.