MOGADISHU — The United Nations has officially requested $852 million to address urgent humanitarian needs in Somalia, marking a significant 40% reduction from the 2025 funding appeal.
The decrease in the funding request underscores the severity of a crisis worsened by continuous challenges, including extended drought, persistent conflict, and repeated disease outbreaks.
Climatic Emergency
Over the last four years, Somalia has endured four successive failed rainy seasons across multiple regions. This climatic emergency has substantially diminished water resources, damaged pasture lands, and caused crop losses on approximately 85% of agricultural land.
Consequently, escalating food costs have driven millions into severe food insecurity. Agencies anticipate that 4.4 million people will face critical hunger levels or worse by 2026.
Displacement and Protection Risks
The combined effects of conflict and climate shocks have triggered substantial population displacement. throughout 2025, around 680,000 individuals were compelled to abandon their residences, elevating the total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to 3.3 million.
Humanitarian reports indicate that these at-risk communities encounter heightened threats, including gender-based violence, child soldier recruitment, and unlawful evictions.
Health Infrastructure Under Pressure
Somalia’s health infrastructure faces extreme pressure from persistent financial deficiencies and the closure of healthcare facilities. This situation has precipitated extensive outbreaks of illnesses such as cholera, measles, and diphtheria.
Malnutrition rates remain alarmingly high; about 1.85 million children under five years old are expected to experience acute malnutrition, with more than 421,000 cases categorized as severe.
Strict Prioritization
Although there is a noted 20% reduction in the estimated number of individuals needing assistance compared to 2025, the UN clarifies that this statistic represents a stricter assessment criteria rather than actual improvements on the ground.
Humanitarian organizations intend to deliver focused aid to 2.4 million people in 2026, fewer than half of those requiring help. This constitutes a 47% decrease in the recipient population from the preceding year.
Significant funding reductions in 2025 already caused the shutdown of numerous health and nutrition centers, depriving more than 600,000 people of vital aid. Specialists caution that without prompt financial resources, Somalia’s humanitarian circumstances are likely to worsen substantially.
