Hassan announces at the Turkey conference that Somalia needs urgent assistance

Antalya (Caasimada Online) – The President of Somalia, Xasan Sheekh Maxamuud, who participated in the 31st session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) that opened today in the city of Antalya, Turkey, delivered a speech addressing the climate situation and the need for international support.

In his speech, the President focused on the importance of fulfilling international commitments to address climate change, calling for urgent assistance to Somalia.

Xasan Sheekh stated that Somalia contributes little to global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it is among the countries most severely affected by the consequences of climate change, primarily facing recurrent droughts and floods.

He emphasized that it is time for countries with the greatest responsibility for climate change to lead efforts to mitigate its impact and to support vulnerable nations that cannot face these challenges alone.

The President also warned of the potential impact that the El Niño climate event could have on Somalia, stating that current forecasts indicate that this situation could affect millions of Somalis, which requires proactive measures.

“One dollar spent before a disaster is better than 15 dollars spent after the loss. We are facing El Niño, which could affect 3.4 million Somalis, and the world must work with us to prevent it,” said Xasan Sheekh.

The participation of Somalia in this conference comes at a time when the country is facing challenges related to climate change, with the president's speech being a message to the international community in which he called for the support of vulnerable countries to be transformed into effective measures to reduce the damage caused by climate disasters.