U.N. Somalia coordinator warns about increasing rates of malnutrition

Mark Bowden, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, highlighted the "rapidly deteriorating" situation there resulting from drought and high food prices, Agence France-Presse reports.

"We have currently the highest rate of malnutrition in the whole of Africa, more than 30 percent of the children are suffering from global acute malnutrition," said Bowden. "If we are not able to respond, there will be many more lives lost as a result of malnutrition," he said, adding that just 40 percent of the international aid appeal had been reached (6/30). Press TV has video of Bowden's comments (Flynn, 6/30).  

In related news, CNN reports that more than 800 Somali children are arriving each day "at crowded refugee camps in Kenya ... after walking for days to escape a prolonged drought," according to Save the Children. "Children have made long journeys in terrifying conditions, often losing their families along the way and arriving at the camps in desperate need of security, health care and a normal life," said Catherine Fitzgibbon, program director of Save the Children in Kenya (6/30).