London Conference on Somalia 2012

World Vision UK responds to London Conference on Somalia

In London today, Prime Minister David Cameron hosted a conference for more than 50 world leaders which looked to ending more than two decades of conflict in Somalia.

The East African country has been recognised as the worst failed state in the world, with more than two million people in crises and 325,000 children still acutely malnourished – despite famine levels declared over.

For aid agencies, like World Vision, reaching those families and communities with immediate life-saving aid has to take centre stage above and beyond any political gain.

World Vision UK’s Chief Executive Justin Byworth, who has been closely monitoring today’s events, said "The research we gathered during the famine last year shows that three-quarters of displaced children are exhibiting high levels of distress from the shocks they’ve already experienced in their short lifetimes. The future of Somalia was quite literally in the hands of David Cameron, Hilary Clinton and other leaders gathered at the London Conference on Somalia today."

The outcomes of the humanitarian side event, which was separate from the main geo-political conference, emphasised the urgent need to respond to emergencies with early action and increase the effectiveness of international responses in the future.

The UK government alone committed more than £50 million to Somali refugees, both in country and over the border in Kenya, who have been dispaced by ongoing conflict and food crisis.

Graham Davison, Operations Director with World Vision Somalia for the past seven years, commented on the outcomes "Moving forward we must see more strong, long-term donor commitments to not only ensure the 2.3 million Somali people who so desperately need aid can access it, but to help put in place the coping mechanisms that communities need so they can best manage future shocks. It’s estimated that £1 in prevention saves £4 in trying to ‘cure’ a failed state."

World Vision has been in Somalia since 1993 and will continue to deliver emergency aid for as long as its needed. The aid agency is also starting a pioneering child-focused project specifically addressing the psychosocial needs of children.

To find out more about World Vision’s work in Somalia and other crisis countries around the world, please visit www.worldvision.org.uk/rawhope/

February 23 2012