More humanitarian assistance is urgently needed in Somalia

Millions are at risk unless humanitarian assistance is scaled up and sustained

(Mogadishu/New York, 20 October 2022): Humanitarian organizations need an additional US$1 billion in funding to reach 7.6 million people targeted for humanitarian assistance in Somalia. The increased requirement for the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) comes against the backdrop of rapidly mounting needs and a corresponding scale-up in humanitarian action.

“We are facing a major emergency. We declared the drought an emergency last year and have been scaling up to reach the most vulnerable people, but we need the international community’s support to prevent further deterioration,” said Somalia Deputy Prime Minister, Salah Ahmed Jama.

Somalia is currently facing its worst drought in at least 40 years. The historic failure of four consecutive rainy seasons, persistent conflict, displacement, and high food prices have left millions of people at risk and are pushing people in Somalia to the brink of famine. In response to the alarming situation, the Federal Government of Somalia has appointed a Special Envoy for Drought and reconstituted the Somali Disaster Management Agency, tasked with facilitating efforts of relief and rescuing people in distress.

In January, when the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan was launched, about 3.2 million people were affected by the cumulative effects of three consecutive failed rainy seasons. Now, because of yet more failed rains, more than 7.8 million Somalis, nearly half of the population, are affected by drought. More than 1.1 million people have left their homes in search of food, water, and livelihoods, a threefold increase since the beginning of the year. Three million livestock have died, and water sources have run dry.

“Humanitarian organizations have adapted the response to target areas where the needs are highest, focusing on the most vulnerable people. But we know we urgently need to do more, and we require more money to do so,” said Adam Abdelmoula, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia.

The updated 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan requires $2.26 billion to respond to the most life-threatening needs of 7.6 million people across Somalia, an increase of $800 million on the initial HRP target in January of $1.46 billion for about 5.5 million people. More than 80 per cent of the funding requirement is related to drought. Donors have made generous contributions totalling $1.05 billion so far this year (46 per cent of the $2.26 billion appeal), enabling partners to reach about 6.5 million people across Somalia with some form of humanitarian assistance, but more funds are urgently needed to keep pace with the increasing scale, scope, and severity of the situation.

More than 300 humanitarian organizations, including international and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UN agencies and international organizations have projects in the HRP. More funding should be channelled to national NGOs, who are on the frontline responding to needs in some of the hardesthit and hardest-to-reach areas of Somalia. Immediate life-saving assistance must also be accompanied by investment in livelihoods, resilience, infrastructure development, climate adaptation and durable solutions.

For further information, please contact
Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), Mo Moalim Partnership Adviser, communications@sodma.gov.so Tel: 252 61 382 7864
UN OCHA Somalia, Truphosa Anjichi, Humanitarian Reporting and Public Information Officer: anjichi@un.org Tel: +252 61 486 3821