Nairobi — The World Food Programme has resorted to alternative ways of shipping relief food from the Mombasa Port to thousands of hunger-stricken people in Somalia.

Mr Leo van der Velden, WFP deputy country director, on Wednesday said the UN agency, together with Care International, are using Dubai vessels to ship relief cargo. He said Dubai contractors are moving 1,000 metric tonnes of food aid for WFP and 2,400 tonnes for Care to Somalia.

Velden warned that the drought and famine situation in Somalia, especially the southern part, had worsened just like in northern Kenya. He said currently, only 1,500 metric tonnes of food could be delivered while over 43,000 metric tonnes worth US$ 32 million is required. He said escorts have been requested from Kenya Navy and Somali coalition forces to protect transporters from sea pirates.

Land transport

Due to piracy in the Somali waters, he said, land transport services through Mandera to Bay and Bakol in Somalia had been set up. He said the port of Merka in south Somalia is being used for small-scale shipments while navy protection has been requested by main shipping agents to restart the use of the port on a larger scale.

Velden said the Kismayu port is at the moment closed for all UN activities following the killing of their staff early this year.

In a Press statement, Velden said about 2 million people in southern Somalia were at risk of starvation.

He said WFP would look after 620,000 vulnerable people while an additional 200,000 people in parts of the Gedo were receiving relief food from Care.

"The hardest hit regions include Gedo, Bakol, Bay, Hiran and middle and lower Juba which have chronic food shortage," he said.

Velden said they were negotiating with Motaku Shipping Agency, which discontinued shipments for WFP after three of its ships were hijacked by Somali pirates, to resume the service.

By December 18, there had been 14,800 metric tonnes at Mombasa Port awaiting shipment.

Seafarers protest

Meanwhile, the use of the Dubai vessels has sparked protests by Mombasa maritime workers' rights group.

Seafarers Assistance Programme (Sap) claimed Mv A-Ghazal, Mv. Hassan and Mv. Almis 1, which were loaded with 3,400 metric tonnes of food, were faulty.

"Somali waters need a concerted action to protect merchant shipping from piracy, but not hiring sub-standard ships," Sap co-ordinator, Andrew Mwangura, said in a statement.

Mwangura challenged the UN to co-ordinate a group of ships backed up by aerial surveillance off the Coast of East Africa to deter attacks and not resort to the small Asian vessels.

"Unless international action is taken against the pirates, Somalia could become a haven for criminals who may feel encouraged to extend their activities in the wider region.

"We call upon the International Maritime Organisation to bring in the UN Security Council to organise the necessary naval intervention."