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FIFA Donates $1M as Humanitarian Assistance to Somalia

The Somali Football Federation 'SFF' has vehemently welcomed the humanitarian assistance from the international Football governing body FIFA which over night on Wednesday announced a donation of USD 1 million in emergency aid in response to the humanitarian crisis in Somalia.

In a press release on Thursday, the Somali Football Federation said that the FIFA humanitarian donation will save hundreds of thousands of lives in Somalia who are currently on the verge of death.

The press statement said the FIFA aid coincides with a time that the draught-displaced people are dying on the roads linking Mogadishu to the southern regions where hunger is compelling them to flee to the capital where they have access to aid agencies.

"In the past Somali Football Federation has successively informed FIFA about the desperate humanitarian situation in the country which also appeared in the world's news headlines for the past several months. The swift humanitarian move taken by FIFA is cheering us and will always remain in the minds of all Somalis," the Somali Football Federation said.

The press release noted that the Somali Football Federation was very grateful to the world football agency 'FIFA' for their compassion to help the vulnerable Somalis who are dying of hunger every minute. The report added that the Somali Football Federation and the entire people in the country are fully happy with such humanitarian move by FIFA.

"The FIFA humanitarian response shows that the world football governing body is not only confined to promoting football development in the lawless country, but also FIFA is playing a big role in saving the vulnerable Somalis who are displaced by wars and draughts and some disabled by the long-exciting civil strife in the country," the statement said.

"The International Football Federation 'FIFA' has taken a very huge humanitarian reaction which is very commendable. The entire family of Somali Football, civil society groups including doctors and women, political leaders and the traditional elders in the country are fully lauding the quick humanitarian decision by the FIFA executive committee under the leadership of president Joseph S. Blatter, a real friend of Somalia," the statement noted.

The statement praised the International Committee of the Red Cross 'ICRC' for its past humanitarian activities in Somalia.

"A friend indeed is a friend in need, so the Somali FA and the entire people of Somalia will never forget the humanitarian hand that FIFA extended to our people in a bid to save hundreds of thousands of lives in Somalia," the statement said.