Somalia's ongoing drought has widened pre-existing gaps in the country's economy.
Extreme drought in the Horn of Africa has led to severe hardship for many people in Somalia.People in Somalia have long relied on money from family members abroad to build hope for the future. These contributions — also known as remittances — have been essential during the last three decades of civil conflict in the east African country.
Somalia's ongoing drought has widened pre-existing gaps in the country's economy. Four partial rainy seasons throughout the past two years — generally thought to be a direct result of climate change — have brought the most persistent drought in four decades to the Horn of Africa.Hibaq Warsame, a project co-ordinator at Toronto's Midaynta Community Services for Somali Canadians, said she can hear the burden of the ongoing drought in the voices of relatives on the phone.
"But still they have to send money. Because unless they do so, more and more people would be lost to the drought." The millions of dollars the United Nations currently sends to Somalia are designated for emergencies only, such as internationally displaced people or food assistance, said Yasin. Little is left over to fund long-term infrastructure.
For Somali Canadian remittances to go even further, Ibrahim said legal methods for money transfers in Canada should be made cheaper and more accessible.Controversy over hawala payments Hassan Mowlid Yasin, right, speaks on a panel about youth action and climate change at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2022.
When Edmonton-area MP Randy Boissonault, the assistant finance minister, was asked for comment, a press secretary said financial institutions have "the discretion to close accounts or refuse to do business with MSBs." He also said the Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist Financing Act requires client identities and certain transaction records, which are not required for the hawala system.
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