By Horn Africa News
MOGADISHU — The United Nations has voiced deep concern over the sharp drop in humanitarian funding for Somalia, warning that millions of vulnerable people are at risk as aid operations face drastic cutbacks.
A new UN report revealed that Somalia has received only 17% of the humanitarian funding it requires this year. The country had been allocated $1.42 billion to support 4.6 million people in need, but the shortfall has forced aid agencies to slash their targets by 72%, leaving assistance available for just 1.3 million people. At least $367 million is urgently needed to sustain critical life-saving programs.
According to the report, more than 300,000 people—mostly displaced families living in overcrowded camps and rural communities—have lost access to clean water and sanitation services after vital aid programs were reduced or shut down. Funding for the water and sanitation sector has dropped to less than 12% of required levels, forcing humanitarian organizations to make “extremely difficult choices” as emergency needs continue to rise.
Between January and July this year, Somalia reported 6,550 cases of cholera and acute watery diarrhea, including nine deaths. More than 1,000 new cases were recorded in the past month alone, nearly half of them among children under the age of five.
