World Vision forced to close operations in south central Somalia
World Vision received a demand on Monday (9 August) from Islamic militants to close its operations in south central Somalia.
Keys to World Vision offices and assets were taken from staff by Al Shabaab. Nothing was removed from the offices but Al Shabaab representatives are currently occupying the buildings.
World Vision is surprised and disappointed by the move, which is apparently based on false accusations of spreading Christianity.
"World Vision is a Christian organisation, motivated by its faith to help children, families and communities living in poverty around the world," said World Vision Somalia Programme Director, Chris Smoot.
"But we have specific policies that prohibit proselytising and we are a signatory to the Red Cross Code of Conduct, that guarantees impartiality in our distribution of aid."
Humanitarian crisis
The move to close the organisation’s operations in Somalia is especially devastating in the middle of one of the greatest humanitarian crises in the world. More than 3.6 million people in Somalia are in urgent need of aid; 700,000 of whom are children.
“Last week alone, we had 51 critically malnourished children admitted to World Vision-run stabilisation centres,” said Programme Director Chris Smoot. “Their fate is weighing on us heavily right now.”
Health Concerns
Quarter of a million women and newborn children are also facing an uncertain future with the closure of nine mother and child healthcare centres, and 162 health posts across the affected regions, leaving them with no access to vital, primary healthcare.
Hundreds of patients were being treated for TB in another programme, and Smoot says interrupting their treatment at this critical time in their recovery puts them at high risk of the disease gathering strength, in a drug-resistant form.
Ongoing conflict in Somalia has heavily restricted humanitarian space for aid agencies over the past few years, and this latest closure is a further blow to those already suffering the most.
Next Steps
World Vision has been working in south central Somalia for the past 18 years. The organisation also works in the Somaliland and Puntland regions of Somalia, where work continues without interruption.
Operations in affected areas of Somalia have been temporarily suspended as World Vision plans next steps.
"The safety of our staff and the communities we've been working with for so many years, are our main priority right now," says Smoot.
"And our ongoing focus is to highlight the imperative for humanitarian agencies such as ourselves to have guaranteed unfettered and unrestricted access to people in need in Somalia."