The news that over eight million Somalis are set to be in hunger crisis next year must trigger massive prevention efforts, alongside the emergency response, says Abdiaziz Adani of Oxfam in Somalia. And central to effective prevention is unlocking the huge potential of local organisations to build famine resilience.
As Oxfam turns 80, here are three big ideas that I think will shape its future…
Eight decades after Oxfam began with a meeting in an Oxford church, we must respond to challenges our founders could not have dreamed of, from re-imagining what an international NGO should be, to the need for totally new sources of funding, to the world-changing impact of technology, says Oxfam GB CEO Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah
Three hidden costs of Somalia’s drought
As the world confronts the widespread hunger caused by the worst drought in 40 years, we must not forget it is also having a devastating impact on schools, health and the animals that are the basis of so many livelihoods, says Abdiaziz Adani
East Africa vs Ukraine: two tragedies, two very different responses
East Africa is facing its second hunger crisis in a decade, yet it barely registers in the news, and the international system is failing… How did the humanitarian system end up in this mess? Duncan Green on the stark messages from the new Oxfam/Save The Children paper, Dangerous Delay 2, a follow-up to the briefing Dangerous Delay, which warned of the need for change back in 2012
‘The last food crisis was a wake-up call in Somalia: it’s clear pure humanitarian doesn’t work any more’
As East Africa faces drought and famine, Jessica Fullwood-Thomas talks to Oxfam in Somalia’s Muktar Hassen about a crucial lesson from the 2017 food crisis: that the region needs a “triple nexus” approach across humanitarian response, development and peace work to deliver sustained change
Debt: a noose around Somalia’s future
Full debt cancellation is the only way forward for Somalia, write Dustin Barter, Oxfam’s Senior Campaigns and Policy Manager in Somalia, and Mohamed A. Ahmed, Independent Debt Specialist. As the African Union Summit kicks off in Addis Adaba this week, Somalia remains swamped in debt, struggling to kick-start a more positive trajectory. Debt relief, a once hot topic (thanks Bono!), …
The intersection of inequality and climate change
Dustin Barter reflects on the glaring contrast between his recent experience of the California wildfires, and the harsh realities of climate change for many. Both inequality and climate change are hot topics, gaining traction as the bleak effects set in, but the intersection of the two demands far more attention and action. If we want to get serious on climate …