United Nations makes appeal to Somali diaspora

The United Nations is appealing to the large Somali expatriate community to help alleviate the suffering of those affected by the famine.

The famine in southern Somalia has now spread to three more areas of the country, and hundreds of people are believed to be dying each day from hunger or malnutrition.

The Somali diaspora sends $2 billion dollars a year in aid, but the UN envoy for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, is asking Somalis abroad to increase the amount of money they send to their families and relatives.

“Somali people are known for their generosity and actually the diaspora has been sending assistance to their compatriots inside Somalia to the tune of two billion dollars a year. This time of the famine and the drought, I think that assistance even more needed than before,” he said.

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