6.5 Million in Somalia Face Acute Hunger as Drought Deepens, Government and UN Warn

About 6.5 million people in Somalia are facing acute hunger due to prolonged drought, according to a joint statement by the government and the United Nations.

The country declared a national drought emergency in November after successive failed rainy seasons devastated crops, killed livestock, and drove up water and food prices. More than one-third of those suffering acute malnutrition are children, with tens of thousands of families displaced and seeking refuge in camps in Mogadishu and other urban areas.

The warning comes amid concerns from the World Food Programme that food assistance could halt by April without new funding. The agency recently reduced aid coverage significantly due to financial constraints.

Latest figures from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification indicate that millions are expected to remain in crisis or emergency hunger levels even if seasonal rains bring limited relief. Humanitarian officials warn that without urgent international support, the situation could deteriorate further, deepening displacement and worsening malnutrition across the country.