By IANS/AKI,
Vatican City : Pope Benedict XVI has sent 50,000 euro (around $71,000) to Somalia to be used as aid for millions of people starving because of drought.
The pope sent the money to the Vatican’s representative in Somali capital Mogadishu.
The UN has said around 10 million people are in need of food aid and thousands of refugees need to be fed in Kenya because of severe drought and civil war in Somalia.
“As a sign of his closeness and concern, the pope has sent the sum of euro 50,000 to Bishop Giorgio Bertin, apostolic administrator of Mogadishu, who is directly involved in bringing assistance to the people affected,” the Vatican said in a statement.
The drought, caused by the driest weather since 1995, is expected to worsen into early next year, according to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.