Mogadishu, Somalia – The Somali government and the United Nations have announced that approximately 6.5 million people in Somalia are suffering from acute hunger as a result of the ongoing drought. Warnings are mounting that food aid could cease in the coming weeks due to funding shortages.
Warning of aid being halted
The World Food Programme (WFP) had warned days earlier that it would be forced to halt its relief operations by next April unless it received additional funding. It noted that the number of people receiving its aid had shrunk from 2.2 million earlier in the year to just over 600,000 currently.
The government declared a national emergency last November after several consecutive seasons of drastically reduced rainfall, leading to a deterioration in living conditions, the death of large numbers of livestock, and soaring water prices.
Children most affected
A joint statement indicated that children comprise more than a third of those suffering from acute malnutrition. The crisis has also forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, with many now crowded into camps in the capital, Mogadishu, and other cities.
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, George Conway, stated that the drought is worsening alarmingly, exacerbated by limited food supplies, rising prices, and insufficient humanitarian funding.
Expectations of limited improvement
The government and UN estimates align with the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) data. This data indicates that approximately 5.5 million people will remain in crisis or worse conditions, including 1.6 million in emergency conditions. This is despite expectations that the April-June rainy season will provide some temporary relief.
These figures reflect the ongoing humanitarian pressures in Somalia, amid growing calls for increased international support and urgent funding to prevent the famine from worsening.
