Two UN agencies cited a link between conflict and hunger in a joint report that covers seven countries and one sub-region. As of last July, the two agencies noted, 1.8 million Somalis were experiencing acute food shortages, compared to 3.3 million in July 2017. Reduced threats of death from hunger and violence are encouraging growing numbers of Somali refugees to return to their homeland. Central and eastern parts of Somalia are still being hard hit by food shortages, the UN agencies noted in their January 28 report. The 2.6 million Somalis who remain internally displaced by drought, floods and conflict are "extremely vulnerable to acute food insecurity," the report warned.

Source: Daily Nation January 31, 2019 12:56 UTC