African Union Commission sets to provide $87K worth relief items to flood-hit area in Somalia

The Head of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Ambassador Francisco Madeira visited Beledweyne on Saturday where he said that the African Union Commission would soon provide relief support amounting to USD 87,000 in the form of medical supplies and non-food items. Beledweyne, in the Hirshabelle State of Somalia, was devastated by heavy rains and flooding which destroyed houses, crops, roads and displaced thousands of families.

Ambassador Francisco Madeira also conveyed a message of solidarity and goodwill from the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Musa Faki. "The Chairperson of the African Union Commission has instructed me to tell the population of Beledweyne that the African Union is with Hiran, Beledweyne and the whole population at this moment. I had the opportunity to go through the city, and I saw the devastation that the floods have caused," Ambassador Madeira said.

Ambassador Francisco Madeira first saw some of the affected areas. Then he held meetings with the deputy President of Hirshabelle State, Ali Hussein Guudlaawe, the Governor of Hiran region, Ali Mohamed Arale and high-ranking officers from the Somali National Army, where they discussed the humanitarian and security needs of the state. He also took the opportunity to introduce to the Hirshabelle deputy president the new AMISOM Police Commissioner, Assistant Inspector General of Police Augustine Magnus Kailie, and the new Deputy Force Commander, Logistics and Support Maj. Gen. George Owinow who both recently joined the mission.

"I promised vice president Ali Hussein that AMISOM police and the military will continue to work with the Hirshabelle security forces in order for us to protect the population and do the best we can to open the main supply routes towards Fidow and Jowhar, until Mogadishu," he said.

"We have discussed the dire needs of the people in Beledweyne, Bula-burde, Jalalaqsi, Mahaday, Jowhar and Bal'ad towns that were affected by the floods. We appreciate AMISOM's solidarity and support and we are ready to lead every effort aimed at helping these people. After this emergency, we would like to come up with durable solutions to mitigate the devastation caused by recurring floods in Beledweyne and Hiran region", the deputy president said.