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BOSSASO, Somalia, 22 May 2009 Martin Bell, former BBC war correspondent and current UNICEF UK Ambassador for Humanitarian Emergencies, recently concluded a three-day trip to the north-east zone of Somalia to report on the situation of children and women affected by conflict, drought, displacement and other hardships and to shed light on UNICEFs efforts to provide them with crucial services. In Bossaso, one of the countrys busiest ports, Mr. Bell visited settlements for displaced people and saw firsthand the dire conditions in which they live. Displaced populations form a group of chronically vulnerable people here, lacking even the most basic social services and livelihood opportunities. Bossaso hosts 27 camps where 40000 people have sought refuge from other parts of the country. Over 1 million people in Somalia are internally displaced, mainly due to the conflict and insecurities in the central and southern regions. Almost half of the total population in Somalia, or about 3.2 million people, are in need of emergency assistance. Mr. Bell visited projects implemented by UNICEF and its partners to aid those at risk, including feeding programmes at health facilities to provide severely malnourished children with nutritional and medical services. To read the full story, visit www.unicef.org