The APPG held its Annual General Meeting in-person on Tuesday 12th March 2024.
David Mundell MP and Lord Collins of Highbury were re-elected as Co-chairs, and Baroness Goudie and Anthony Mangnall MP were elected as the new Officers for the group, in compliance with the changes to the APPG rules. It was also confirmed that Results UK would remain the Secretariat.
In the second half of the meeting, members heard from Lucy Amatikide Murunga, Senior Communications Manager at World Vision Somalia who spoke on the current challenges in Somalia, particularly the impact of the ongoing conflict on the ability of NGOs and other aid agencies to access those in need. Members heard about the devastating impact of a severe and prolonged drought in 2022 which left nearly half the country’s population grappling with hunger and malnutrition. This was then followed by severe flooding in 2023 which destroyed over 1.5 million hectares of farming land. Lucy explained how the dire impact of these compounding crises have led to severe food insecurity in the country and have impacted the livelihoods of Somali people who are dependent on livestock for income as well as food, with the ongoing conflict exacerbating the situation. As of 2024, 1.5 million Somali children were facing malnutrition.
A short Q&A discussion followed, where members asked about the UK Government’s role in securing peace in Somalia, the impact of the UK aid cuts to the reach of organisations like World Vision, as well as how World Vision Somalia worked with local partners to deliver its life-saving work.
Please find the meeting minutes here which includes a full and updated membership list.
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