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Somalia

NRC Somalia Country Office Programme Update No. 8 (31st December 2024)

Attachments

Key Highlights

• Escalating Humanitarian Needs: Somalia's humanitarian crisis is intensifying. In 2025, an estimated six million people will require humanitarian assistance. A funding appeal of USD 1.42 billion has been launched to target 4.6 million of the most vulnerable individuals.

• Growing Displacement: The crisis has displaced 552,137 people in 2024 alone. Drought conditions, exacerbated by the failed Deyr season and La Niña effects, are a significant driver, with 8,152 people displaced by drought. Notably, 5,382 of these drought displacements occurred since October 2024, signaling a rapidly deteriorating situation.

• Worsening Food Insecurity: Due to failed rains and persistent drought, over 4.3 million people are expected to face acute food insecurity, reaching Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or Emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels in early 2025. In IPC 3, people will likely be forced to skip meals or sell possessions to afford minimal food, while in IPC 4, people will face extreme food shortages, often leading to malnutrition and death.

• Rising Insecurity for Aid Workers: Access to vulnerable populations is increasingly hampered. The fourth quarter of 2024 saw 62 access-related incidents, with 27% involving violence against humanitarian personnel, disrupting critical aid operations.

• NRC Response: NRC has reached 627,312 individuals since January 2024, with a focus on gender equity (56.3% female participants). Emergency response accounted for 58% of the reach (363,547 people), including 18% in hard -to-reach areas. Durable solutions initiatives reached 32% of the total (203,269 individuals). Overall, 20% of the NRC's reach (124,113 people) was in hard-to-reach areas.

• Shrinking Funds Hamper Aid Efforts: Shrinking funding for the HRP is severely impacting aid efforts. Funding dropped from 48% in 2023 to 47% in 2024, leaving critical needs unmet.

• Urgent Intervention Required: The projected worsening of food insecurity, displacement, and access challenges in Somalia demands immediate and coordinated action. Increased funding, improved humanitarian access, and enhanced preparedness are crucial to averting a humanitarian catastrophe in 2025.