Somalia Federal Government President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Monday held meeting with the Executive Director of the Green Climate Fund, Mafalda Duarte at the Presidential Palace in the capital Mogadishu.
They discussed various pivotal issues in key being bolstering the cooperation between the two sides in addressing climate induced challenges.
They also widely deliberated Somalia’s climate-resilient development.
During the meeting, President Mohamud broadly highlighted the devastating effects of climate change on Somalia including the recent El-Nino floods and current drought situation bedeviling the East African Nation.
The President the importance for accessible and affordable climate finance to address climate related challenges.
Duarte on her part expressed gratitude to the President for the warm hospitality and underscored her commitment to helping Somalia overcome the recurrent natural disasters plaguing the Horn of Africa Nation which have precipitated huge displacement of people and devastated homes and livelihoods.
According to the World Health Organization , the geography and topography of Somalia makes it vulnerable to natural disasters, including droughts, famine, floods, and cyclones. These conditions have weakened, overburdened and, in some cases, destroyed the country’s health service delivery institutions.
Somalia has endured multiple severe drought episodes since 1965. A 2011 drought was one the worst in 60 years, resulting in 260,000 deaths and affecting 13 million people in the East Africa Nation.
Recent floods have also severely impacted a vulnerable population reeling from decades of drought instigating massive displacement of people and death of over 110 people as per government figures.