Over 6.2 million people in eastern DR Congo face starvation as Somalia passes universal suffrage law
The Food Security Monitoring Directorate of the government has stated that around 25 million residents of the country are suffering from extreme malnutrition.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the situation is being exacerbated by global climate change , which is affecting agriculture, fisheries and livestock. Of particular concern is the onset of the rainy season , which increases the risk of landslides and crop losses.
The country’s food security crisis is worsening due to ongoing fighting in eastern DRC , where the Congolese armed forces and the M23 group are locked in a standoff.
Somali Parliament Passes Universal Suffrage Law
The Somali parliament has approved an electoral reform bill that provides for a transition to universal suffrage.
The law, which would require a one-person, one-vote system, would replace the complex indirect election system in Somalia, where clan delegates elect members of the national parliament , who in turn choose the president.
According to the new reform, the head of state will be elected by direct vote. The first elections under this system are planned for 2026.
