On 10 November, the Federal Government of Somalia declared a drought emergency, appealing for urgent international assistance as conditions worsened across northern, central, and southern regions, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Puntland is among the hardest hit, with authorities estimating that nearly one million people require support, including 130,000 in immediate life-threatening need.
A UN assessment mission earlier in November to Bari and Nugaal regions reported severe water and food shortages, with residents warning of an impending catastrophe. Local leaders described prolonged absence of rain, the worst drought in years, and growing displacement as families migrate in search of water and pasture. In Shaxda village, hundreds of displaced families, mostly women and children, have arrived while men have moved to Ethiopia to seek resources, overwhelming the village’s limited capacity.
Across Puntland, water sources have dried, vegetation has withered, and many pastoral settlements have been abandoned. In Dhaxan town, residents now rely on expensive trucked water after the local borehole became contaminated, and recent arrivals have added pressure to dwindling humanitarian assistance. Community leaders noted that previous food, nutrition, and medical support have significantly reduced.
Funding shortfalls are worsening the crisis. As of 23 November, Somalia’s 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan was only 23.7 per cent funded, forcing reductions in aid. Emergency food aid recipients dropped from 1.1 million in August to 350,000 in November. In Puntland, 89 supplementary feeding sites and 198 health and stabilization centers face severe supply shortages.
The drought is unfolding amid an already severe humanitarian situation. At least 4.4 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity through December, and 1.85 million children under five are expected to suffer acute malnutrition by mid-2026. Weather forecasts indicate little relief, with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization warning that ongoing high temperatures and poor rainfall will worsen water stress and hinder pasture regeneration, particularly in central and northern regions.
