The Federal Government of Somalia in conjunction with the United Nations has stated that aid workers around the country remain “at great risk.”
Somalia boasts of tons of humanitarian personnel working on various projects around the country funded by the UN and the federal government.
On Wednesday August 19, during this year’s World Humanitarian Day, the two institutions voiced their concerns at the increased risks facing humanitarian workers.
Hamza Said Hamza, Somalia’s Minister of Affairs and Disaster Management, hailed the massive contribution humanitarian workers have made in the country.
He hailed them for “paying the ultimate price” with their lives.
Al-Shabaab and other extremist groups in the Horn of Africa nation have carried out several deadly attacks against humanitarian workers around Somalia.
Further, the country has witnessed an increase in the number of attacks against such workers.
By the end of July 2020, the East African nation had reported 141 incidents against aid workers, which compares unfavorably with the 151 recorded in the whole of 2019.
Thus far, in 2020, 11 humanitarian workers have been killed in Somalia, as 11 others were injured and 23 were kidnapped.
More shockingly, seven of these were first kidnapped before being murdered gruesomely in a single incident that shocked the world.
Since 2009 when August 19 was designated as the World Humanitarian Day since 2009, the day has been celebrated around the world in honor of humanitarian workers.