Somalia Monthly Humanitarian Update, January 2025

This report is produced by OCHA Somalia in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It provides information on the humanitarian situation across Somalia in January 2025.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Following the poor performance of the October to December 2024 rains and the current hot and dry conditions, drought conditions are spreading, escalating already dire conditions in several areas.
• The Federal Government and humanitarian partners launched a US$1.42 billion Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) to assist about 4.6 million people out of 5.98 million who need assistance this year. The 2025 HNRP prioritizes 10 districts for an integrated first line response given the high severity of their intersectoral needs.
• The Area Based Coordination (ABC) approach has been applied to prioritize responses at district level and complement Cluster coordination. The Flagship Initiative, which aims to apply a bottom-up approach in humanitarian programming, is being piloted in four of the 10 priority districts.
• Membership of the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) network has increased especially from non-governmental and civil society organisations.
• Story: Read how prolonged dry conditions have worsened the humanitarian situation in North and South Gaalkacyo.

KEY FIGURES

5.98M People who need humanitarian assistance in 2025.
4.57M People targeted for humanitarian assistance in 2025.
US$1.42BN Funding required for 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan (HNRP).
48% Percentage of funding received for 2024 HNRP.
3.5M Number of people reached with lifesaving assistance in 2024.

Humanitarian situation to worsen as drought conditions unfold

Drought conditions are looming in several areas of Somalia as prolonged extreme dry conditions spread, escalating the already dire humanitarian situation. The unfolding situation follows the poor performance of the October to December 2024 deyr rains which led to drought conditions in southern and central regions, and current hot and dry conditions. The most affected areas include Gedo, Hiran, Bay, Bakool, Mudug, Bari, Toghdheer, Bakool, Galguduud and Sool regions. The Food and Agriculture Organisation/SWALIM projects that the April to June gu seasonal rains will be below-normal across most parts of Somalia, with a delayed onset in key agricultural areas. Above-average temperatures will increase.

Given that drought conditions worsened progressively through January 2025, immediate humanitarian assistance and long-term resilience interventions, including borehole drilling, livestock support, and sustainable water management, are urgently required. Humanitarian needs, including food security, malnutrition, and displacement, are likely to worsen in the next few months, with women, children, and marginalized groups likely to be disproportionately affected. Already, at least 4.4 million people are estimated to be facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with 1.6 million children likely to suffer from acute malnutrition through July 2025.

To mitigate the situation, humanitarian agencies must urgently mobilize and coordinate resources to address the escalating drought crisis and prepare for the anticipated challenges of the gu season. In November 2024, the Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF) allocated US$5 million to mitigate the impact of the La Nina, which was complemented by an additional $5 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in December. The SHF is supporting health, nutrition and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) activities in Afmadow, Diinsoor and Wanla Weyn. The CERF funding aims to deliver lifesaving assistance, minimise displacements and address protection risks in Afmadow, Diinsoor, Baidoa, Qansax Dheere and Xudur.evapotranspiration, exacerbating water stress and reducing agricultural productivity.