Mogadishu, Somalia – Somalia is facing a worsening humanitarian emergency as food insecurity reaches alarming levels, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warning that urgent funding is critical to avert further catastrophe. According to OCHA’s latest update, 4.6 million people are already experiencing high levels of food insecurity, while an additional 2 million risk falling deeper into crisis due to sharp funding shortfalls.
The crisis has been exacerbated by the reprioritization of the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan, which has drastically reduced its coverage. Only 1.3 million people are now targeted for assistance under the revised plan—a staggering 72 percent cut from the original scope. OCHA stressed that these reductions are not reflective of declining needs but are instead the direct consequence of shrinking humanitarian resources.
Communities across Somalia continue to struggle with the combined effects of protracted drought, recurrent flooding, conflict, and soaring inflation. Aid agencies report that many families are being forced to skip meals, sell off their livestock, or abandon their homes in search of food and water. The reprioritization of aid delivery means that millions will remain without reliable access to lifesaving support unless urgent funding is mobilized.
Somalia’s government, alongside OCHA and its partners, has appealed to the international community to act swiftly. Aid officials warn that without additional resources, Somalia could once again face famine-like conditions, undoing fragile gains made in recent years.
The OCHA report underscores that the resilience of Somali communities, while remarkable, cannot withstand the escalating crisis without meaningful and sustained donor support. The agency emphasized that closing the funding gap is critical to preventing widespread suffering and saving lives.
