Somalia

Introduction

For decades, Somalia has endured prolonged conflict and severe climatic shocks. In 2025, northern regions faced an extended drought due to:

• significantly below-average rainfall
• worsening water scarcity
• food insecurity

Continued poor rainfall conditions for the fourth consecutive season are expected to further increase humanitarian needs into early 2026. In response, Somali authorities declared a drought crisis in November 2025.

These recurring climatic shocks have been compounded by ongoing and intensifying local inter-clan conflicts, as well as the broader conflict between the Somali state and non-state armed groups. The situation in 2025 has been further undermined by significant funding cuts affecting most humanitarian actors, with impacts felt across all sectors. More than 1.7 million vulnerable people lost access to protection services, food assistance coverage dropped sharply—from 1.1 million recipients in August to just 350,000 in November—and over 200 health and nutrition facilities were forced to close nationwide.

Facts & figures

Through its humanitarian efforts, the EU provides vital support to those in need.

EU humanitarian funding:

over €660 million since 2017

What are the needs?

Close to half of Somalia’s population is affected by conflict, floods, drought, disease outbreaks, and displacement, driving significant humanitarian needs. In 2025, an estimated 6 million people are in extreme need of urgent, life-saving assistance and protection. While food remains the top priority for most households, half of the population lacks reliable access to water and adequate shelter remains a major challenge. Access to essential health services is limited, particularly in rural and underserved areas, leaving displaced communities especially vulnerable.

Food insecurity

Between October and December 2025, 4.4 million people are projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), including 921,000 in IPC Phase 4. From August 2025 to July 2026, an estimated 1.85 million children aged 6–59 months are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition, of whom 421,000 are projected to experience severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

Over the next months, conflict and extreme climate events are expected to drive forced displacement at levels similar to 2025.

Displacement

Displacement rose sharply during the year, with 680,000 people newly displaced, bringing the total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to nearly 4 million. Evictions affected 150,000 people and an additional 200,000 remain at high risk due to tenure insecurity. Protection risks are severe, with 648 verified cases of child recruitment and widespread gender-based violence.

Since 2022, protracted armed conflict —along with renewed large-scale fighting—has severely impacted civilians and restricted the movement of people and goods in the country. Violations of international humanitarian law remain  widespread.

Given the scale and overlap of these crises, increased humanitarian assistance is urgently needed to prevent excessive mortality and further deterioration. The 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) for Somalia requires €1.233 billion to meet the priority needs of the 4.6 million people targeted. However, funding for life-saving interventions has declined sharply, and by late 2025, the HNRP was only 23.6% funded.

How are we helping?

In 2025, the EU allocated €67.33 million in humanitarian aid to Somalia. This follows the €82.16 million provided in 2024. 

EU humanitarian funding supports organisations responding to sudden shocks that cause displacement, acute food insecurity, malnutrition, and disease outbreaks. Assistance includes:

• multipurpose cash support
• essential health and nutrition services
• access to clean water
• protection services
• shelter
• education

EU humanitarian partners work in rural and hard-to-reach areas to ensure that the most vulnerable are not left behind. They also help reduce further displacement among rural communities while delivering life-saving assistance in increasingly congested urban and peri-urban areas hosting displaced populations.

Cash transfers

Whenever relevant, EU support is delivered through multipurpose cash transfers. This allows people in need to feed and support their families while meeting other basic needs in a dignified manner.  Cash assistance also helps overcome access constraints and strengthens local markets. 

Health and nutrition sectors

Somalia continues to face high child and maternal mortality rates, severe malnutrition, and frequent disease outbreaks. The health system is critically overstretched: only 1/3 of existing health facilities are functional, and outlooks for 2026 are even more concerning due to the expected conclusion of key development-funded support in the health and nutrition sectors.

The country is currently experiencing an increase in outbreaks of cholera, acute watery diarrhoea, diphtheria and measles, driven by climate shocks, limited access to clean water and hygiene, and unsanitary conditions in displacement camps. All of these diseases carry a high risk of death.

In response, the EU prioritises the provision of quality health care, epidemic prevention and control, and emergency treatment for malnutrition. Support is channelled through experienced health and nutrition partners working both in communities and in health facilities.

Disaster preparedness

The EU also funds disaster preparedness initiatives using a multi-hazard approach, aiming to reduce the impact of recurrent shocks linked to:

• climate events
• conflict
• disease outbreaks

Despite these efforts, Somalia urgently needs more long-term development assistance to strengthen the resilience and self-reliance of vulnerable groups, including pastoralist, agricultural, and marginalised communities. Coordination between EU humanitarian and development programmes continues, notably in the areas of cash-based social safety nets and education, to help build sustainable resilience for affected Somali communities.

_{Last updated: 24/11/2025}