Saudi Arabia, UK partner with UNICEF to fight malnutrition in Somalia

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) and the UK joined forces with UNICEF on Monday, signing a $5 million cooperation agreement to tackle malnutrition in Somalia.

The announcement came during the second annual UK-Saudi Strategic Dialogue on Humanitarian Aid and International Development, which also addressed “providing more aid to Gaza and encouraging progress toward peace in Sudan,” according to a statement from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

KSrelief and the FCDO will each contribute $2.5 million to UNICEF. These funds will provide access to vital nutrition services, clean water, and personal hygiene supplies in 15 high-risk areas of Somalia, benefiting an estimated 101,000 children.

This builds on KSrelief’s prior efforts in Somalia, such as equipping 28 health facilities with medical oxygen in April to fight childhood diseases.

While relief and humanitarian assistance are welcome temporary measures to address healthcare challenges in Somalia, long-term investments by the Somali government in its health sector are the only sustainable solution for a healthy future.