An Emirati ship carrying more than 1,000 tonnes of food and relief supplies has arrived in Somalia to support millions of people affected by the country's worst drought in decades.
The crucial shipment was delivered to the port of Mogadishu in the African country, following directives by President Sheikh Mohamed.
The delivery was overseen by Emirates Red Crescent, the Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, and the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation.
Authorities have started distributing supplies to families in need and displaced people.
The aid will support about 2.5 million people affected by severe droughts caused by a lack of rain for three consecutive seasons.
In May, President Sheikh Mohamed ordered that Dh35 million of humanitarian aid be sent to Somalia to support its development and alleviate extreme poverty.
The assistance came a month after the UAE sent a ship with 572 tonnes of food supplies to the country.
One million people have now been displaced in the country due to the devastating droughts since January 2021, figures released on Thursday by the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, and the Norwegian Refugee Council showed.
“This one million milestone serves as a massive alarm bell for Somalia,” said Mohamed Abdi, the Norwegian Refugee Council’s country director in Somalia.
“Starvation is now haunting the entire country. We are seeing more and more families forced to leave everything behind because there is literally no water or food left in their villages. Aid funding urgently needs to be ramped up before it is too late.”
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It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
