UN Launches $852 Million Appeal to Address Somalia's Deepening Humanitarian Crisis

By Zamzam Osman - Reporter

Somalia, 28 January 2026 The United Nations and its humanitarian partners on Monday launched an $852 million appeal for Somalia to prevent a deepening humanitarian crisis, warning that a massive reduction in available funding is forcing aid agencies to scale back even as millions remain in desperate need.

The 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) targets 2.4 million of the country’s most vulnerable people, a sharp decrease from previous years. Officials said the leaner budget — a 40 per cent reduction from the 2025 appeal — is a result of a highly prioritized approach necessitated by a global decline in humanitarian financing.

"This plan is launched at a critical moment for Somalia," said Mohamud Moalim Abdulle, Commissioner of the Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA). He noted that while the country has shown resilience, millions are still being pushed into acute food insecurity and displacement due to the combined effects of climate shocks and ongoing conflict.

According to the UN report, approximately 4.8 million people in Somalia require humanitarian assistance this year. Among them, 4 million people are facing "crisis" levels of hunger or worse. The plan specifically prioritizes 1.6 million people living in 21 districts where the severity of needs is classified as extreme.

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George Conway, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, warned in the report that the smaller price tag does not indicate a significant improvement in the situation on the ground, but rather a "rigorous prioritization" in the face of dwindling resources.

"Unprecedented funding reductions have significantly constrained the collective capacity to deliver essential and life-saving assistance," Conway said. He added that many Somalis who have relied on humanitarian aid for years are now losing their only source of support as international attention shifts to other global crises.

The humanitarian situation remains particularly dire for children, with the UN estimating that 1.85 million children under the age of five are at risk of acute malnutrition. Additionally, the country continues to grapple with a massive displacement crisis, with 3.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in precarious conditions.

The appeal seeks $301 million for food security, $80 million for health services, and $72 million for water, sanitation, and hygiene. Aid agencies warned that without immediate and sustained funding, the progress made in stabilizing the country over the last two years could be rapidly reversed.

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