50 000 likely to flee Somalia
2006-10-17 14:36
Geneva - Nearly 50 000 more Somalia refugees are likely to arrive in neighbouring Kenya by the end of the year, says the United Nations, appealing for $35m to cope with the mounting burden.
Elisabeth Byrs, a spokesperson for the UN's humanitarian co-ordination office (OCHA), said the appeal was meant to cover aid for the next six months.
She said that about $3.5m of the amount had been unlocked from the UN's central emergency fund for immediate use. At least 160 000 Somali refugees were hosted by Kenya.
According to the UN, the east African country had been facing a record influx of up to 2 000 refugees a day in recent weeks into a northeastern area, where local people were struggling to cope with a drought.
Girl, 3, diagnosed with polio
Jennifer Pagonis, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency, said: "As of today 34 000 Somalis have fled to Kenya since the beginning of the year.
"Because of the increased violence in southern and central Somalia, we feel this figure could reach 80 000 by the end of the year.
"So it's urgent to get funds now because already we're overstretched with the numbers that have been arriving."
Pagonis said a three year-old girl in the main camp in northeastern Kenya, Dadaab, was diagnosed with polio last Friday, even though she had "reportedly received all the necessary vaccinations.
"It is the first reported case in Kenya for 25 nearly years, this is really quite worrying".
The United Nations said that about 1.8 million people in Somalia were facing acute food shortages in the impoverished central and southern areas hit by fighting between clans and other unrest.