US launches emergency food airlift for Somalia
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.WASHINGTON (Reuter) - The United States will begin an emergency airlift of food to Somalia 'as soon as possible', the White House announced last night. It also proposed that the United Nations convene a donors conference on the crisis in Somalia. The leading Somali factions would be also asked to take part in the conference.
'The Defense Department will begin as soon as possible emergency airlift operations to deliver food,' the White House spokesman, Marlin Fitzwater, said. He added that the United States was 'asking the Kenyan government to join us in supporting airlifts to northern Kenya for Somali refugees and drought-stricken Kenyans'. President George Bush directed that an additional 145,000 tons of food be made available for Somalia and 'calls upon other nations to join us in this urgent and important effort'. The new aid would be in addition to dollars 77m ( pounds 39m) in food already pledged by the United States. About 4.5 million Somalis risk death by starvation and about one sixth of the 7 million population are refugees.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments