Somalia Declares Drought Emergency as Hunger Deepens

Two young girls walk through a displacement camp in southern Somalia, where families uprooted by drought are sheltering.

Somalia is facing a rapidly worsening drought emergency, with vast swathes of the country now parched after four failed rainy seasons, leaving millions at risk of hunger and displacement, UN humanitarians warned on Wednesday.

On 10 November, the Federal Government of Somalia formally declared a drought emergency and appealed for urgent international assistance as conditions continued to deteriorate across northern, central and southern regions, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Puntland is among the worst-affected areas, where authorities estimate that nearly one million people need support, including 130,000 in immediate life-threatening need.

A UN assessment mission to the Bari and Nugaal regions earlier this month found communities grappling with acute water and food shortages, with residents warning that catastrophe could unfold in the coming months.

“We have not received rain since last year; this is the worst drought in years,” said Abdiqani Osman Omar, mayor of Shaxda village in the Bari region.

“Hundreds of displaced families moved here three months ago, and more are coming. The new arrivals are mostly women and children as the men have moved to nearby Ethiopia in search of pasture and water.”

He added that the village has no capacity to support them, noting that even host communities need water and food assistance.

Dried-up Water Sources, Abandoned Settlements

Across Puntland, water points have dried up, vegetation has withered and formerly inhabited pastoral settlements now stand abandoned.

In Dhaxan town, brief Gu’ season (April–June) showers brought short-lived hope earlier this year, but residents are now dependent on costly trucked water after the local borehole was found to be contaminated.

Community leader Jama Abshir Hersi said around 150 families had moved to the town after the rains.

“We used to receive food and nutrition assistance, and medical supplies for our health unit. All that assistance has dwindled,” he said.

Funding Shortfalls

Funding shortages are compounding the crisis.

As of 23 November, Somalia’s 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan was only 23.7 per cent funded, forcing major reductions in assistance. The number of people receiving emergency food aid has plunged from 1.1 million in August to just 350,000 this month.

In Puntland alone, 89 supplementary feeding sites and 198 health and stabilisation centres are facing severe supply shortages.

Millions Going Hungry

The drought is unfolding against an already dire humanitarian backdrop. At least 4.4 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity through December, while 1.85 million children under five are expected to suffer acute malnutrition through mid-2026.

Weather forecasts offer little immediate relief. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that dry and hot conditions are expected to persist across most of the country, particularly in central and northern regions.

“The prevailing high temperatures and poor rainfall are likely to exacerbate water stress and limit pasture regeneration in most areas,” the agency said.