Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has he made of the security implications of the security situation in Somalia during drought and food shortages in that country.

Drought and food insecurity, combined with an already difficult security situation, are having a serious impact on Somalia. Displacement rates are increasing, including due to ongoing conflict. The UK is a major security partner to Somalia and in the region, working with others to counter Al-Shabaab and build Somali security forces' capacity. The UK is also providing urgently needed humanitarian assistance to those most affected in Somalia and across the region. On 21 September at the UN General Assembly, the Minister for Development, Vicky Ford MP, announced £22.8 million package assistance for Somalia to alleviate the impact of drought and address the risk of famine. This brings the UK's total support to Somalia since 1 April 2022 to £52.8 million covering humanitarian, protection, health, and nutrition support. We are also stepping up our diplomatic and political engagement to increase life-saving support from the international community.