United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, yesterday urged a massive scale up in international support to avert a famine in the drought-stricken Horn of Africa nation and curb the spread of cholera, in response to his call launched last week in New York to avoid tragic developments and famine there.

According to the UN News Centre, Mr. Guterres told reporters in the country's capital, Mogadishu, "It is exactly because it is tragic and because it is hopeful that it makes sense to make a very strong appeal to the international community to support Somalia at the present moment."

With almost half of the Somali population in need of assistance, including 330,000 children who are acutely malnourished, the UN chief reiterated an appeal for US$825 million for the support of 5.5 million people for six months.

He added, "There is a chance in Somalia to avoid a situation like the one we had in 2011," referring to the previous famine that killed many in that country.