Pope calls for “generous commitment” to support the population of Somalia

Fin St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, the pontiff said to accompany “with great concern the humanitarian crisis that is taking place in some areas of Somalia, where the episodes of violence and extreme climate phenomena are aggravating the already precarious living conditions of the population, particularly women and children”.

He also expressed the wish that “the international community should be involved generously, so that (...) the necessary assistance is not lacking”.

According to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), six million people, one in three in Somalia, face hunger levels that reach the state of crisis or worse, after several consecutive drought seasons, and more than 700,000 people have been displaced this year, of which more than 500,000 are only due to drought.

In addition, the rainy season, scheduled for October, could be intensified by the El Niño phenomenon and cause the worst flooding in Somalia since 2023, according to the humanitarian organization.

In his speech today from the window of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo XIV also appealed to the end of the logics of human division.

“ We all experience joy, intelligence and future when the law of love interrupts that of calculus, the experience of mercy amplifies that of merit, the gift of peace puts an end to rivalries and brings us closer to gratitude,” the American Pope said.