Augustine Mahiga, the U.N. Special Representative for Somalia, is a troubled man. The United Nations
declared another three regions in Somalia in famine. Augustine is aware that the international humanitarian
response to the crisis has been inadequate and the prevalence of acute malnutrition and rates of mortality
have surpassed the famine thresholds. According to the United Nations, famine is defined as when acute
malnutrition exceeds 30 per cent and when the death rate exceeds two per 10,000 a day.
The U.N.'s food arm, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), said famine is likely to spread across
all regions of Somalia's south in the next four to six weeks, with famine conditions likely to last for the next
five months. A humanitarian emergency exists across all other regions of southern Somalia.
Aid efforts have been hampered in the south as elements of al-Shabaab, the Islamist insurgents, have
refused access to western relief agencies. Throughout Somalia, 3.7 million people are in crisis, with 3.2
million people in need of immediate, lifesaving assistance, 2.8 million of whom are in the south.
The U.N.'s famine early warning system network said that the current humanitarian response remains
inadequate, due in part to ongoing access restrictions and difficulties in scaling up emergency assistance
programmes, as well as funding gaps. Augustine appealed to all Somalis, both inside and outside the
country, to work together to support the peace process and alleviate the plight of those suffering from
famine.
1. It can be assumed that the main reason for the current humanitarian response to remain inadequate
is:
A. The wide-spread nature of the famine with more regions being added recently.
B. The lack of strong governance mechanisms in Somalia.
C. The difficulty that aid agencies are facing in accessing and hence providing aid to famine-struck
areas.
D. The inability of aid agencies to provide funds that comprehensively address the needs of famine struck
areas.
E. The lackadaisical attitude of the local government.
2."This is a time of great crisis, but also of rare opportunity. It is a time for everyone to pull together to
help those suffering and to work towards a better future for all," says Augustine Mahiga. In light of
the information in the passage, this statement can be said to be:
A. Highly Irrational.
B. Over-zealous and Idealistic.
C. Optimistically Pragmatic.
D. Objectively well-defined.
E. Insensitive and offensive