(Ecofin Agency) - United Nations office in Somalia called for $1.6 billion needed for the implementation of humanitarian action plan targeting 5.4 million people in the country, last week.

According to the organization, though progress has been achieved to tackle famine in 2017, long-term solutions for drought, conflict and displacement must be found.

“I am proud that we averted a possible famine last year. Lasting solutions […], however, out of our reach, and much more must be done to eliminate the looming threat of famine in this country,” said the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Peter de Clercq.

“If we do not continue to save lives and in parallel build resilience, then we have only delayed a famine, not prevented one,” he added.

In 2017, number of displaced in the country reached unprecedented levels. Food security needs nearly double over 5 years, according to UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The number of Somalis suffering from famine has increased tenfold last year. Also, estimates show that 1.2 million children will be malnourished in 2018 (232,000 will be subject to life-threatening severe malnutrition).