UN General Assembly
2011

freedom of movement of millions who are trying to reach help, either in Mogadishu or in neighbouring countries. Mr. Mayr-Harting (Austria), Vice-President, took the Chair. Without urgent interventions to change the situation, it is estimated that up to three quarters of a million people may perish in the next few months. Although normal to above-normal rainfall is expected to return in the next three months, that is unlikely to result in a significant easing of the crisis in the short term, since the harvest will not be expected until February. In any case, the production from the short rainy season only accounts for a third of the total annual cereal production. The displacement of farmers by the current famine will only further reduce the expected yield. In fact, the United Nations has 11-51372 22 indicated that it expects the famine to spread to the rest of the south by the end of the year. It is therefore critical that we accelerate efforts to reach those in Al-Shabaab-controlled areas, while at the same time ensuring that international humanitarian