News round-up: Famine in Somalia --Somalia PM orders aid protection, UN Humanitarian Chief Meets Famine Victims in Somalia.Somalia wants humanitarian force to guard food convoys, Turkey has launched a massive aid campaign,Turkish delegation arrives in Mogadish .Kuwait Red Crescent increases relief efforts in Somalia. Saudi physicians Come to Mogadishu. Canadians respond to Somalia disaster

Somalia wants humanitarian force to guard food convoys

UN Humanitarian Chief Meets Famine Victims in Somalia

Somalia's prime minister has announced the creation of a special force to protect convoys delivering aid to people affected by drought and famine.Abdiweli Mohamed Ali said the force would comprise 300 trained men, helped by AU peacekeepers who are currently providing security in Mogadishu.He was speaking after talks with UN emergency relief coordinator, Valerie Amos, in the Somali capital.Some 12 million people are affected by drought in the region, the UN says.Mr Ali said the force would have two main jobs: "Number one is to secure the convoys and to protect food aid, and also to protect the camps when food is distributed," he said."Second is to stabilize the city and to fight banditry and looting and any sort of untidiness."Mr Mohamed Ali's use of the word "untidiness" was something of an understatement: Mogadishu was until a few days ago divided in two, with the Islamist insurgent group, al-Shabab, occupying several districts.It has now withdrawn from most parts of the city, but has vowed to keep on fighting the transitional government.

'Scaling up operations'

Security has improved in Mogadishu, although pockets of resistance remain.After their meeting, Baroness Amos said the improvement in security meant the UN could intensify its relief efforts in the region."We are scaling up our operations in Mogadishu," she said. "UNHCR [UN High Commission for Refugees], for example, has had three flights come in this week"Unicef [UN Children's Fund]has had flights come in. The World Food Programme has had flights come in.But the aid operation in Somalia still faces huge challenges. Most of the famine-affected areas are still controlled by al-Shabab, which has often been reluctant to cooperate with international agencies.

Canadians respond to Somalia disaster

 Third cargo plane of Turkish aid takes off for Somalia

 Turkey Red Crescent representatives 

Turkish delegation arrives in Mogadish

A delegation from Turkey on Sunday arrived in Mogadishu ahead of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visit to Somalia on August 18.
The Turkish team are said to be preparing grounds for the arrival of the Turkish Prime Minister who is expected to visit Somalia together with his spouse Emine Erdogan.
Somalia’s interior and national security minister Abdisamad Ma’alim Mohamud and other government officers have received the visiting Turkish delegation at Adan Ade airport.
Head of disaster mitigation in the office of the Prime Minister Cusmnaa Nuurit Bechtash leading the Turkish team visiting Somalia said their trip is part of their effort in responding to drought and famine related crisis in Somalia.
He added that a Turkish cargo ship carrying humanitarian aid for the needy people in Somalia is expected to dock in Mogadishu tomorrow.
Somalia’s interior and national security minister Abdisamad Ma’alim Mohamud also revealed that the Turkish delegation came to prepare grounds for the arrival of the Turkish premier in the next few days.
Erdogan is expected to return to Turkey on August 19.
Turkey has launched a massive aid campaign to help efforts to fight hunger in eastern Africa where the World Food Program estimates that 10 million people already need humanitarian aid.
Donations collected by Turkish Prime Ministry and Religious Affairs Directorate reached 54.1 million TL in a campaign launched to help African countries.
The U.N. Children’s Fund estimates that more than 2 million children are malnourished and in need of lifesaving action in the region.

Kuwait Red Crescent increases relief efforts in Somalia 

 
 Kuwait Red Crescent representatives with Somalia pm Abdiweli Mohamed Ali
Saudi physicians Come to Mogadishu'

Saudi medics provide free medical service in Mogadishu

Doctor from Saudi Arabia on Sunday provided a free medical service to the needy people in Mogadishu.
Dr. Abdalla Al-Amri who is among the Saudi doctors offering the free service in Banadir’s Mother and Child department said they are sacrificing their time to help the needy people with their services.
The Saudi doctors are said to be responding to the current drought and famine related drought in Somalia, where tens of thousands are facing starvation.
Meanwhile the head of Banadir Hospital’s pediatric department Lul Mohamed Ahmed said diarrhea is becoming life threatening in Mogadishu, saying that over a hundred patients with diarrhea came to seek treatments in the hospital for the last few days.