Oxfam reacts to the UN Humanitarian Appeal on Somalia

Senait Gebregziabher, Oxfam Country Director for Somalia said:

“Unfortunately, the crisis is set to last well into 2012. What’s crucial right now is to get enough funding to help people cope with the situation before the next harvest in the spring. Despite the numerous challenges ahead, donors must continue to support Somali people, just as aid agencies on the ground are ready to do so by scaling up their programs to maximum capacity.

“Donors and the public have been incredibly generous in 2011, by committing $1.32 billion in humanitarian funding to Somalia. Whilst impressive, this figure is just over half as much money - $2.41 billion - the international community spent in combating Somali piracy in 2010. We know donors have deep pockets when it comes to their economic interests. They must now show the same concern and focus for the fate of tens of thousands of Somalis."

Note:

Total Costs of Maritime Piracy, 2010 from One Earth Future

Cost Factor Value (Dollars)

DIRECT  INVESTMENTS:

Security Equipment : $363 million to $2.5 billion

Naval Forces : $2 billion

Prosecutions : $31 million

Piracy Deterrent Organizations : $19.5 million

TOTAL ESTIMATED COST :

$2.413 bn (conservative estimate)

More info page 25: http://bit.ly/u21CzA

See also: Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP): UN Humanitarian Appeal 2012 for Somalia (pdf, 4.8MB)