The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that brutal cuts to humanitarian aid budgets are severely hampering efforts to assist millions of Somalis affected by drought. The situation has affected over 4.6 million people, about a quarter of the population, with at least 120,000 people displaced between September and December as water prices rose, food became scarce, and livestock died. Over 75,000 students have dropped out of school.

OCHA has warned that the upcoming dry season, which runs from January to March, could worsen conditions, increasing water scarcity, livestock deaths, and food insecurity. Authorities are requesting urgent assistance to prevent further livelihood collapse and to prevent avoidable deaths from occurring.

Humanitarian agencies provide cash aid, animal fodder, borehole rehabilitation, and emergency assistance, but they are limited by a lack of funding. Despite a recent $10 million allocation from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund, only approximately $370 million has been received from the $1.4 billion Somalia response plan for 2025.