In a significant effort aimed at alleviating the impact of the current flood in the country, the Somalia Federal Government received on Tuesday a shipment of 25,000 tons of flood aid from the Russian government.
The Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) was on the ground to receive the consignment of aid, which landed in the capital, Mogadishu.
Senior government officials, including the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ahmed Fiqi, the Minister of Ports, Abdullahi Abdullahi Ahmed Jama Ilkajir, the Minister of State for Trade, Osman Daallo, and other high representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were in attendance at the reception ceremony.
The Russian Ambassador to Somalia and Djibouti, Amb. Mikhail Golovanov, handed over the assorted relief flood aid.
The Ambassador, who spoke at the ceremony, pledged the unwavering commitment of the Russian government to bolstering support for the Somali government in mitigation of the ongoing flooding.
On their part, the ministers thanked the Russian government for the support, saying that the flood aid will significantly boost the Somali government’s ability to address the El Nino-induced floods.
Addressing the nation on Wednesday evening, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said that the death toll from the torrential rains and floods in the country has risen to 101, with 1 million people displaced and 1.5 million affected nationwide.