News|Climate CrisisUN emergency food aid in Somalia may halt by April amid severe hungerFamilies in Somalia pushed to the brink amid severe hunger; urgent food aid needed to avert worsening conditions.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that its emergency food and nutrition assistance operations in Somalia may cease by April due to insufficient funding. This development comes amid one of the country's most severe hunger crises in recent…
The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that its emergency food and nutrition assistance operations in Somalia may cease by April due to insufficient funding. This development comes amid one of the country's most severe hunger crises in recent years, exacerbated by consecutive failed rainy seasons, ongoing conflict, and a significant decline in humanitarian funding.
WFP's data indicates that approximately 4.4 million individuals, or about a quarter of Somalia's population, are experiencing crisis-level food insecurity or worse. This includes nearly one million individuals facing severe hunger.
Somalia, identified as one of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations, has been frequently affected by droughts and floods, further complicating the situation. The WFP has already reduced emergency food assistance from 2.2 million people in early 2025 to approximately 600,000. Consequently, only one in seven individuals needing food assistance is currently being supported. Additionally, nutrition programs have been cut back, assisting only 90,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children in December, down from nearly 400,000 in October of the previous year.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that its emergency food and nutrition assistance operations in Somalia may cease by April due to insufficient funding.
Ross Smith, WFP Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response, emphasized the critical nature of the situation, stating, "Without immediate emergency food support, conditions will worsen quickly." He highlighted the urgent need for intervention to prevent further deterioration, particularly affecting women and children.
The WFP has warned that the cessation of its reduced assistance would have severe humanitarian, security, and economic consequences, impacting regions beyond Somalia's borders.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has also reported a rise in cases of severe acute malnutrition and preventable diseases such as measles, diphtheria, and acute watery diarrhea among children in Somalia, indicating a worsening public health situation.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
