This number is projected to rise to 4.4 million (23 per cent of the population) between April and June 2025 New data from Somalia shows that 4.4 million people could…

This number is projected to rise to 4.4 million (23 per cent of the population) between April and June 2025

New data from Somalia shows that 4.4 million people could face hunger by April 2025, driven by worsening drought conditions, conflict and high food prices. 

The Federal Government of Somalia and the United Nations agencies warned that without funding for humanitarian action, the country – which in 2022 was pushed to the brink of famine by severe drought, resulting in thousands of deaths, with nearly half being children – millions could once again face deepening hunger.  

Warning from the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) come as the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis shows that 3.4 million people are already experiencing crisis-levels, or higher, of hunger in Somalia (IPC3+). This number is projected to rise to 4.4 million (23 per cent of the population) between April and June 2025, when below-average Gu rains are forecast.   

“Worsening drought poses a severe threat to communities already grappling with immense hardship and ongoing conflict. Urgent action is required to save lives, protect livelihoods, and prevent further suffering,” said Mohamuud Moallim, Commissioner of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA). “This time, we are not only confronting the devastating impacts of drought but also compounding risks, including conflict and an unprecedented decline in humanitarian funding. These overlapping crises demand immediate, collective and well-coordinated action to strengthen Somalia’s resilience and safeguard our most vulnerable communities.”