Monthly Humanitarian Update | September and October 2025

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drought conditions have worsened in northern regions and spreading to central and south Somalia. The situation is particularly serious in Nugaal, Mudug, Bari and Sanaag regions, which are experiencing the 4th consecutive season of poor rains.
• Millions of people are at risk of worsening hunger and malnutrition due to funding shortfalls. In November, the number of people receiving food assistance will reduce to 350,000, down from 1.1 million in August.
• The Deputy Director of OCHA’s Crisis Response Division visited Somalia in October to gain firsthand insight into the ongoing humanitarian crisis and meet affected communities.
• The 2026 Humanitarian Programme Cycle Programme is currently underway. The needs analysis has been finalized, and partners are now designing the humanitarian response. Approximately 7.5 million people are estimated to be affected by recent shocks across 64 of the 90 districts.

Drought emergency worsening as dry spell persists in northern regions

Drought conditions have significantly worsened in northern regions following a prolonged dry spell and the initial poor performance of the October to December rains. The situation is particularly serious in Nugaal, Mudug, Bari and Sanaag regions, which are experiencing the 4th consecutive season of poor rains. The drought conditions are fast spreading to south and central Somalia. The FAO Somalia Water and Land Information Management (SWALIM) programme forecasts that dry conditions will persist in the first week of November across Awdal, Bari, Sanaag, and northern Mudug regions. Partners on the ground report that rangelands and water points are drying up in areas where over 70 per cent of livelihoods depend on rain-dependent nomadic pastoralism. The UNHCR Protection and Solutions Monitoring Network, which tracks displacements in the country, reports that about 30,000 people were displaced by drought conditions in late October and early, while over 10,000 have crossed the border to Ethiopia, in search of water and pasture.

A recent humanitarian mission to Nugaal found that several villages including Dudumaale, Yoombeys, Xamxamaa, Shimbiraaley, Timir, Siigadheer, Cuun, Caanoyaskax, and Xamur were virtually empty after almost 20,000 people reportedly migrated to other areas in search of water and pasture. In Qardho region, authorities report that water prices have risen from US$12 to 15 for a 200-litre barrel and are expected to climb further, putting additional pressure on the town’s nearly 35,000 displaced people.

Authorities in Puntland State have called for emergency assistance, noting that nearly 1 million people are affected; of whom 130,000 are in critical need of immediate aid. In July, Somaliland declared a drought emergency in Awdal region and established a drought response committee, emphasizing the need for coordinated action across both regions to avert catastrophe.

The drought conditions have come at a time when funding constraints have forced partners to scale back or cut off pipelines for food and nutrition interventions, and at a time of escalating food insecurity and malnutrition across the country. According to latest IPC report released on 23 September, approximately 3.4 million people in Somalia are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, classified as IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) or above, according to new IPC report released on 23 September. Of this number, 624,000 people are facing Emergency levels (IPC Phase 4), representing about three per cent of the population. A significant portion of the affected population includes displaced people, farmers getting poor yields, and pastoralists with limited livestock.

At least 4.4 million people projected to face high levels of food insecurity

The IPC report indicates a five per cent reduction in the number of people classified in IPC Phase 3 or above compared to the previous year’s estimate of 3.6 million. The improvement is attributed to average and above-average rainfall in southern regions, positively impacting crop production, along with ongoing humanitarian assistance, which has played a crucial role in mitigating severe food insecurity. It is anticipated that from October to December, at least 4.4 million people (about 23 per cent of the population) are projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity due to below-average seasonal rains. Food insecurity is expected to worsen, particularly for urban IDPs in regions like Bay and Bakool, where conditions may deteriorate from IPC Phase 3 to Phase 4.

The nutrition situation is equally alarming, with an estimated 1.85 million children aged 6 to 59 months projected to suffer from acute malnutrition between August 2025 and July 2026. This includes about 421,000 children who are projected to face Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and 1.85 million children projected to face Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM). Most of the affected children are concentrated in southern Somalia, where the rates of malnutrition have increased by 12 per cent for Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) and 5 per cent for SAM compared to the previous year.

Aid agencies scaling back lifesaving assistance as funding cuts bite

Despite increasing needs, significant cuts in donor funding have left Somalia’s most vulnerable populations exposed to preventable suffering. Essential services are critically underfunded. As of end of October, the 2025 Somalia Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is only 21.7 per cent funded. The UN and partners have warned that millions of people are at risk of worsening hunger and malnutrition as agencies have reduced or suspended lifesaving emergency assistance due to crippling funding shortfalls. In November, the number of people receiving emergency food assistance will reduce to just 350,000 people, down from 1.1 million in August. This means that less than 1 in every 10 people who need food assistance for survival will be assisted.

Additionally, partners report that over 200 health facilities are currently non-functional or closed, and mobile health teams have been disbanded, affecting hundreds of thousands of people. More than 1.7 million vulnerable individuals, including 600,000 children and 220,000 people from marginalized and minority communities—no longer have access to protection, safety nets, or rights-based support. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programmes have received only a fraction of the required funding this year, while nutrition supplementary feeding sites have reduced from 617 to 300. In remote areas, more than 60 strategic boreholes are non-functional due to lack of funds for repairs, cutting off safe water for over 300,000 people in 15 districts.

In Galmudug State, the authorities have reported that 10 health facilities have closed, with an additional 13 expected to close by December and a further 25 projected to shut down by March 2026, severely curtailing access to health care. In addition, support has ceased for nutrition sites which providing integrated health and nutrition services through six fixed sites and one mobile clinic in nine IDP sites for over 6,820 people in Cadaado and Cabudwaaq districts. Partners also report that therapeutic feeding centres in Balanbal and Cabudwaaq have closed, affecting more than 9,870 beneficiaries. Two other nutrition sites in Caabudwaaq and one in Dhuusamareeb, which were supporting 11,000 people, have closed due to funding shortages.

In Hirshabelle State, partners report that health services and nutrition programmes have declined significantly. Other sectors like water and sanitation, protection, and shelter are also affected. In Hiraan region, partners report critical service gaps in Buloburte and Jalalaqsi districts, Hiraan region, leading to the suspension of outpatient therapeutic programmes, stabilization centers and targeted supplementary feeding programmes. More than 8,000 vulnerable individuals mainly children and pregnant or lactating women, with Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and more than 400 children with SAM have been affected. In addition, over 60 nutrition sites across Hirshabelle closed in June. According to partners, urgent donor support is needed to restore critical services and prevent further deterioration.

In Bari region, Puntland State, therapeutic supplementary feeding programmes have been suspended in 25 sites, affecting over 30,000 children under 5 and lactating women. Malnutrition rates in Bossaso are critically high, with Global Acute Malnutrition at 24.2 per cent and Severe Acute Malnutrition at 5.8 per cent among IDPs, and 17.7 per cent among urban residents. Local authorities and health officials report a rise in malnourished children seeking care and are urging increased humanitarian support to prevent a worsening crisis.

OCHA Deputy Director calls for increased support to Somalia

Kyoko Ono, the Deputy Director of OCHA’s Crisis Response Division, visited Somalia from 19 to 24 October to gain firsthand insight into the ongoing humanitarian crisis and meet affected communities. Alongside the Head of OCHA Somalia Crispen Rukasha, and supported by the field team, the deputy director visited Goomir displacement site and Gooyaale health centre, both located in Baidoa. Goomir site accommodates approximately 140 households, totaling around 840 people, primarily consisting of women and children. This site was established in response to the severe drought of 2020, which resulted in significant livestock losses and became a major driver of displacement to Baidoa. Additionally, threats and forced taxation imposed by non-state armed actors on rural communities have further exacerbated the displacement crisis. Food insecurity, along with limited access to water and sanitation services, remains a critical concern for the displaced populations.

On 22 October, the OCHA delegation participated in the monthly humanitarian coordination meeting chaired by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management of South West State. Participants discussed strategies to address the deteriorating food security situation in the region. The minister called for collective action, considering what he described as acute food insecurity, exacerbated by significant funding cuts, in a state that hosts some of the most vulnerable communities in the country. Kyoko also met Federal Government officials in Mogadishu, including the Commissioner of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SODMA), as well as other stakeholders. She underscored the need to identify alternative funding at a time when major donors have halted their support. Furthermore, she urged government and development partners to work collaboratively toward achieving durable solutions for protracted IDPs, as more than 3 million people are displaced within Somalia.

Vaccination campaign targets nearly 1 million children in Somaliland

The Somaliland Ministry of Health Development in partnership with the WHO and UNICEF, launched an emergency polio vaccination campaign on 28 September, in response to reports of polio cases in neighboring regions. The campaign ran for five days, from 28 September to 2 October, with a target of vaccinating over 865,000 children under the age of five.

The ministry mobilized more than 7,550 health workers to conduct vaccinations, educate communities about the importance of immunization and address any concerns that parents may have regarding the vaccine. In addition, the ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with several major private hospitals, particularly those located in Hargeisa. The collaboration recognises the vital role that private healthcare facilities play, as many families prefer to utilize them for maternal care services, including prenatal check-ups and childbirth. By engaging in these hospitals, the ministry aims to leverage their existing infrastructure and reach a larger number of children, thereby enhancing access to routine immunization.

According to WHO, poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease that largely affects children under 5 years of age. The virus is transmitted by person-to-person spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (e.g. contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis.

2026 Humanitarian Programme Cycle underway

The Humanitarian Programme Cycle Programme (HPC) is currently underway. Scope- setting and needs analysis have been completed. Efforts are now underway to finalize the response planning, i.e. people to be targeted and corresponding financial requirement. These components are expected to be completed by the end of November 2025.

Approximately 7.5 million people are estimated to be affected by recent shocks across 64 of the 90 districts in Somalia. In 2026, humanitarian partners in Somalia will implement an integrated, life-saving response in districts experiencing the highest severity of needs.. The response will shift away from a siloed-response, emphasizing coordinated, integrated interventions tailored to the most critical needs. A comprehensive process of community consultation and engagement will be undertaken to identify local priorities. These community-driven priorities will be incorporated into the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan and monitored throughout the 2026 implementation period to ensure accountability and responsiveness.

Story: The human cost of drought conditions in Puntland

Once a proud pastoralist in Puntland, Anab Osman Abdulle’s life changed forever when a severe drought wiped out her livestock and livelihood in 2017. Now 49 years old, she lives in Jilab IDP settlement in Garowe, where she cares for 10 orphaned children and six grandchildren.

“I lost my livestock to drought, but I will not lose hope. I will keep fighting for my children,” said Anab. Two of the children she cares for are physically challenged. Since the death of her husband, Anab has shouldered the full emotional and financial burden of her large family, struggling daily to provide food and care in an environment marked by deep poverty, limited opportunities and despair.

Anab moved between several displacement sites in Garowe-Hasbahalle, Hiiraan, and Jowle-before finally settling in Jilab. Determined to rebuild her life, she ran a small shop and raised chickens and goats, but her efforts collapsed as drought conditions persisted and inflation drove prices higher. With no other options, she now collects and sells firewood from the outskirts of Garowe, barely earning US$1 to $2 a day—down from $10 to $15 just six months ago. Today, Anab is one of the 95,000 displaced people in Garowe who are struggling to cope. “We used to receive assistance in the displacement settlement, but we do not get anything nowadays. We are left to find alternatives for survival,” she said. Partners worry that without urgent humanitarian assistance, drought-affected displaced families like Anab’s risk deeper hunger and destitution.