Sunday 22 Sep 2024 {HMC}  Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre will lead Somalia’s delegation to the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, where he is expected to deliver a message of resilience and international cooperation as Somalia prepares to join the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for the first time in more than 50 years.

According to his office, Barre’s address will emphasize Somalia’s contributions to global security, climate action, and digital transformation, positioning the country at the heart of key international discussions.

This year’s UNGA, themed “Leaving No One Behind,” comes as the world grapples with an array of challenges, from geopolitical tensions to climate emergencies.

Barre will be accompanied by key officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Moallin Fiqi, Environment and Climate Change Minister Khadija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi, and State Minister Hirsi Jama Ganni. Also joining the delegation are Abukar Osman Baale, Somalia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Kamal Gutale, the Prime Minister’s Permanent Secretary, and Farhan Jimale, the government’s spokesperson.

Barre is expected to highlight Somalia’s efforts to address its internal crises, particularly its ongoing battle against terrorism, and to emphasize the importance of international support in peacebuilding.

The prime minister’s speech is anticipated to underscore Somalia’s pivotal role in the fight against terrorism, particularly the extremist group Al-Shabaab, which continues to pose a threat to parts of the country. With the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) set to conclude at the end of this year, Barre will call for continued international assistance to strengthen the new peace operation known as AUSSOM, as Somali security forces assume greater responsibility for maintaining peace.

Barre is also expected to emphasize Somalia’s vulnerability to climate change. As one of the nations most affected by rising global temperatures, recurring droughts, and devastating floods, Somalia has experienced the catastrophic impacts of environmental degradation. The country’s agricultural sector, which sustains much of the population, has been particularly hard hit by extreme weather events. Barre is likely to advocate for increased financial and technical support for climate-affected nations, urging wealthier countries to fulfill their commitments to global climate funds.

Somalia’s participation in this year’s UNGA comes as it prepares to take a seat on the UN Security Council for the 2025-2026 term, marking a watershed moment in its post-conflict recovery. The last time Somalia held this position was in the early 1970s, before the country descended into decades of civil war following the ousting of President Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

Prime Minister Barre’s speech is expected to acknowledge this achievement while outlining the responsibilities Somalia will bear as it joins the council.

Severe flooding in Chad since July has claimed 503 lives and affected around 1.7 million people since July, the United Nations said Saturday in its latest assessment of the disaster.

The floods have destroyed 212,111 houses, flooded 357,832 hectares of fields, and drowned 69,659 heads of cattle, said the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Chad.

All of the country’s provinces have been hit, Chad’s water and energy minister Marcelin Kanabe Passale told journalists Saturday morning, warning of more trouble to come.

“The waters of the Logone and Chari rivers have reached a critical height likely to cause obvious serious flooding in the coming days,” Passale said.

N’Djamena, Chad’s capital, is located where the Logone and Chari rivers flow into each other.

Passale recommended that all water from private wells be treated with chlorine before consumption.

A flood-monitoring committee had been set up to “assess the risks associated with the pollution of drinking water supplies and rising river levels,” he added.

The U.N. warned in early September of the impact of “torrential rains and severe flooding” in the wider region, particularly in Chad, calling for immediate action and funding to tackle climate change.

This summer has been the hottest recorded globally since records have been kept, with a slew of record temperatures, heatwaves, drought and severe flooding.

Axad 22 Sep 2024 {HMC} Severe flooding in Chad since July has claimed 503 lives and affected around 1.7 million people since July, the United Nations said Saturday in its latest assessment of the disaster.

The floods have destroyed 212,111 houses, flooded 357,832 hectares of fields, and drowned 69,659 heads of cattle, said the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Chad.

All of the country’s provinces have been hit, Chad’s water and energy minister Marcelin Kanabe Passale told journalists Saturday morning, warning of more trouble to come.

“The waters of the Logone and Chari rivers have reached a critical height likely to cause obvious serious flooding in the coming days,” Passale said.

N’Djamena, Chad’s capital, is located where the Logone and Chari rivers flow into each other.

Passale recommended that all water from private wells be treated with chlorine before consumption.

A flood-monitoring committee had been set up to “assess the risks associated with the pollution of drinking water supplies and rising river levels,” he added.

The U.N. warned in early September of the impact of “torrential rains and severe flooding” in the wider region, particularly in Chad, calling for immediate action and funding to tackle climate change.

This summer has been the hottest recorded globally since records have been kept, with a slew of record temperatures, heatwaves, drought and severe flooding.

SOURC VOA