Petterik Wiggers/WFP

In Somaliland and Puntland, close to two million people are affected by the drought amid the El Niño phenomenon.

Somalia is facing a rapidly escalating drought emergency after four consecutive failed rainy seasons that left millions at risk of hunger and displacement.

In a formal declaration on 10 November, the Federal Government of Somalia declared a drought emergency, appealing for international aid as conditions in the northern, central, and southern regions continued to deteriorate. Puntland is among the worst-affected areas, where authorities estimate that nearly one million people need support, including 130,000 in immediate life-threatening need. Water sources dried up, vegetation withered, and contaminated boreholes left towns dependent on costly trucked water.

Funding shortfalls are compounding the crisis. Somalia’s 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan was only 23.7% funded, forcing major reductions in assistance. The number of people receiving emergency food aid plunged from 1.1 million in August to just 350,000 this month. At least 4.4 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity through December, while 1.85 million children under five are expected to suffer acute malnutrition through mid-2026.