Brutal slashes to aid budgets are hampering efforts to assist millions of people in Somalia affected by drought, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday.
More than 4.6 million people across the country, roughly a quarter of the population, are impacted, according to local authorities.
"Partners indicate that at least 120,000 people were displaced between September and December, as water prices soar, food becomes increasingly scarce, livestock die and livelihoods collapse," OCHA said in an update.
Additionally, more than 75,000 students nationwide have been forced to drop out of school.
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Conditions expected to worsen
The upcoming dry season from January to March is expected to worsen drought conditions, OCHA said, warning of impacts such as increased water scarcity, more livestock deaths, and the potential for greater food insecurity in many parts of the country.
"Authorities are appealing for urgent assistance to avert a possible collapse of pastoral and farming livelihoods and to prevent avoidable loss of life. They warn that the next four months will be critical, as the next rainy season is not expected until April 2026," the update said.
OCHA stressed that the UN and partners are mobilized - "supporting assessments, mapping available supply stocks, and coordinating emergency responses across water, food, nutrition, health and shelter sectors."
Humanitarians are also providing cash assistance, animal fodder and rehabilitating boreholes, while visiting field locations to assess the severity of the situation and reviewing resources for early action.
However, their efforts are severely constrained by significant funding shortfalls.
Last month, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher allocated $10 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) - which provides timely assistance when conflict and climate-related disasters strike - "but substantially more support is urgently needed," OCHA said.
As 2025 draws to a close, the $1.4 billion humanitarian response plan for Somalia has received only about $370 million, roughly a quarter of the required funding, leaving critical gaps across lifesaving programmes.
