Oxfam response to the FSNAU announcement that areas of Somalia have shown some improvement

In response to the FSNAU announcement that areas of Somalia have shown some improvement, Oxfam's Country Director for Somalia, Senait Gebregziabher, said:

"Any improvement to the humanitarian situation in Somalia will make a huge difference for the hundreds of thousands of people there who continue to suffer through the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The latest figures show that aid is reaching people in some of the worst-affected areas, and it highlights the amazing work being done by Somali organisations to tackle famine.

"However, the situation is still grave across much of the county and the heightened military action threatens to jeopardize these small gains. Insecurity is already disrupting the supply of aid to tens of thousands of people at a critical time in the crisis, and an escalation in violence could throw recovery off course.

"We're seriously concerned that if people do not have the security to plant seeds or the freedom to access clean water and food in the markets, the humanitarian situation will deteriorate once again. If farmers are not able to work in safety now, there may be yet another failed harvest in January and a prolonged food crisis well into next year."

Notes to editors

• 4 regions have been reclassified from IPC Phase 5 "famine" classification or catastrophe to IPC Phase 4 "Humanitarian Emergency". This means that one to two adults or two to four children under five out of 10,000 are dying per day as a result of food insecurity. The famine indicator is the death of two adults or four children out of 10,000 per day.
• Some areas remain in famine classification -- Middle Shabelle and Mogadishu and Afgooye IDP settlements are expected to continue with famine conditions through December 2011.