Southern Africa: Humanitarian Snapshot (As of April 2025)

Humanitarian needs in Southern Africa have continued to be driven by the impact of last year’s El Niño-induced drought — the worst in 100 years in some countries, including Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This led to lower crop yields and reduced incomes for farmers and pastoralists. Also, at least three cyclones and heavy rains caused floods in several countries, including Madagascar, Mozambique, and Malawi. These factors have worsened food insecurity, malnutrition, disease outbreaks, and economic instability. Meanwhile, humanitarian funding cuts compounded an already dire situation, as many partners have reduced or discontinued vital humanitarian assistance.

Food insecurity has persisted across the region, despite earlier projections that the 2024/2025 harvest season would bring some relief. As of March, nearly 44 million people across eight Southern African countries were projected to face high levels of severe food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between October 2024 and October 2025. The worsening crisis is largely driven by ongoing conflict in Mozambique, army worm infestations in some countries, El Niño-related climatic shocks, and escalating economic pressures throughout the region. Food insecurity continued to drive malnutrition among young children.

Disease outbreaks, including cholera, polio, measles, and mpox, continued to impact vulnerable populations across the region. This was exacerbated by inadequate sanitation infrastructure and overstretched or fragile health systems. Africa recorded the highest number of cholera cases globally between January and April 2025, with nearly 67,000 cases and 1,500 deaths reported across 16 countries. In Southern Africa, nearly 25,000 cholera cases were reported in seven countries, with Angola reporting the highest number of cases in the region.

Humanitarian partners have continued to deliver lifesaving assistance despite funding cuts and resource constraints. In some countries, these shortfalls have forced a reassessment and narrowing of response priorities. To help bridge the gaps in the first quarter of the year, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)allocated $1.8 million for cholera response in Angola and $4.7 million for critical aid in Zambia. An additional $6 million was provided to support hundreds of thousands of people ahead of Tropical Cyclone Jude in Mozambique. Anticipatory actions were also rolled out in Madagascar and Malawi to reduce the impact of severe weather events.