Foreign Office figures showing that the UK will almost halve bilateral aid to Somalia by 2029 (Report, 16 July) come as families across the country brace for yet another climate emergency.
Forecasters are warning that rains in Somalia in October could bring catastrophic flooding, displacing thousands. The World Meteorological Organization has flagged a heightened risk of extreme rainfall, which will strike communities still recovering from a severe drought that has left 6 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity.
For Somali families, this means facing yet another major disruption to their lives and livelihoods, and having less humanitarian support available to those affected.
Britain has long supported Somalia through some of its hardest years, and its ambition to use trade, investment and private sector partnership to support Africa’s development is welcome.
However, the decision to channel available funds into multilateral funders like the World Bank cannot happen at the expense of aid provision. Humanitarian support keeps families buying food, shops trading and clinics open when crisis hits. Without it, each crisis will leave less for businesses and investors to build on.
Aid and investment must go hand in hand. One helps countries weather the emergency ahead; the other helps build the strength to face the next. Britain cannot expect investment to succeed if it withdraws aid too soon.
Abdullahi Nur Osman
Chief executive, Hormuud Salaam Foundation
