The World Food Programme has received a EUR 6.5 million contribution from the European Union to support lifesaving humanitarian assistance for crisis-affected people in Somalia, alongside continued operations of the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service across the country. The funding comes at a critical time as food insecurity and malnutrition continue to rise, placing millions of people at risk and stretching humanitarian capacity amid severe funding constraints.
According to recent food security analysis, around 4.4 million Somalis, nearly a quarter of the population, are facing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse. Within this group, almost one million people are experiencing emergency levels of hunger, a sharp increase compared to mid-2025. Malnutrition rates are also alarmingly high, with nearly half of all children affected and in need of urgent treatment, underscoring the scale and severity of the humanitarian crisis.
The worsening situation is driven by the combined impacts of prolonged drought, conflict, displacement, and soaring food prices. In November 2025, Somalia’s federal government declared a national drought emergency following consecutive rainy seasons with below-average rainfall. The resulting water shortages, crop failures, livestock losses, and displacement have affected communities across northern, central, and southern regions, further weakening already fragile livelihoods.
Humanitarian agencies warn that while needs are escalating, funding shortfalls have forced difficult decisions, including reductions in the number of people receiving emergency food assistance. WFP has emphasized that the EU’s contribution arrives at a decisive moment, enabling the organization to sustain and scale up support for the most vulnerable households while maintaining critical humanitarian access across the country.
Of the total funding, EUR 5 million will be used to support emergency assistance for approximately 60,000 people through cash-based transfers, allowing families to purchase food and other essential items. The remaining EUR 1.5 million will support UNHAS operations, ensuring that humanitarian personnel from dozens of organizations can safely reach communities in remote and hard-to-reach areas where needs are most acute.
The European Union has remained a key partner in Somalia’s humanitarian response over recent years, providing substantial support to food assistance, logistics, and air services. This latest contribution reinforces the EU’s commitment to helping Somalia confront worsening hunger, sustain humanitarian access, and protect vulnerable populations as the crisis continues to deepen.
