The UK Minister for International Development and Africa, Baroness Jenny Chapman, completed her first official visit to Somalia, during which she announced £6 million in new humanitarian funding to support communities affected by the country’s escalating drought. At Villa Somalia, she met with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to discuss the urgent challenges posed by the drought and highlighted the UK’s shift from traditional donor support to an investment-driven development partnership aimed at strengthening Somali resilience, supporting economic opportunities, reducing vulnerability to climate shocks, and discouraging irregular migration. The Minister acknowledged the Federal Government of Somalia’s leadership in managing drought response and committed to continued coordination between the UK and Somalia.
Baroness Chapman praised the Somali Government’s efforts to provide emergency cash assistance to over 500,000 people, a programme supported jointly by the UK, the World Bank, and the United Nations. She also welcomed the activation of the UK-backed African Risk Capacity (ARC) insurance policy, which released $3.4 million in rapid payouts to the Somali Government for immediate drought response. Additionally, ARC Replica insurance for the Start Network and World Food Programme provided over $2 million for humanitarian partners to deliver pre-planned assistance, while the Start Ready facility has already disbursed almost $3 million to mitigate humanitarian impacts before conditions worsen. These mechanisms are part of the UK’s long-term strategy to improve efficiency and early action in humanitarian responses.
During a visit to a World Food Programme warehouse in Mogadishu alongside Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama, the Minister detailed how the new £6 million UK funding will provide life-saving support to over 129,000 people in the most affected regions. She emphasized the importance of delivering urgent assistance ahead of worsening conditions and encouraged continued collaboration between the UK, UN, Somali Government, and other partners to protect vulnerable communities.
The Minister concluded her programme by meeting leaders from the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) and the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) to thank them for their work supporting Somali security. She also engaged with UK service personnel involved in Operation Tangham, which contributes to training the Somali National Army and strengthening the country’s security. UK funding for these operations helps build local military capacity, save lives, and counter violent extremism, contributing to a safer and more stable Somalia.
The new £6 million in humanitarian support is part of a broader £61 million UK package for financial year 2025/26, addressing both immediate humanitarian needs and the underlying drivers of crisis in Somalia. This includes over £12 million in partnership with the Somali Government, World Food Programme, and World Bank to provide shock-responsive social protection for drought-affected households. The UK also supports Africa’s regional insurance scheme, the African Risk Capacity (ARC), subsidizing multi-year drought coverage for Somalia alongside the African Development Bank, as well as ARC Replica insurance for humanitarian partners including Start Network and WFP. The Start Ready facility further supports early and anticipatory action, funding locally-led initiatives to mitigate crises before they escalate.
