Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (R) and UNICEF Somalia Country Director Steven Lauwerier help to load supplies for treating malnourished children affected by severe drought in Somalia onto a cargo plane at Mogadishu International Airport in Mogadishu, Somalia March 15, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

MOGADISHU - British foreign minister Boris Johnson met Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed on Wednesday, pledging aid to help combat the effects of a devastating drought, the Somali president's office said.

The country has been mired in civil war for more than a quarter of a century, and this year around 6.2 million Somalis, around half the population, need aid after the drought withered crops, killed livestock and dried up waterholes in East Africa.

A statement from the Somali president's office said Britain would give 110 million pounds ($134.35 million) for drought in some parts of Somalia.

The British Foreign Office said in a statement that Johnson discussed the drought and security.

Reuters