NAIROBI, (HAN) — Millions of Somalis are facing a deepening hunger crisis as major cuts to international aid leave the World Food Programme (WFP) struggling with a critical funding gap, the UN agency warned Friday.
Somalia, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, has endured both the worst drought in four decades and unprecedented flooding in recent years. WFP says that by November, 750,000 people — over two-thirds of those currently receiving emergency food assistance — will be cut off from the program, a situation that could push the most vulnerable into “catastrophic conditions.”
“We are seeing a dangerous rise in emergency levels of hunger, and our ability to respond is shrinking by the day,” said Ross Smith, WFP’s Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response.
WFP leads Somalia’s largest humanitarian operation, supporting more than 90 percent of the country’s food security response. Yet, Smith emphasized that current efforts are “far below what is required to meet the growing needs.”
Government data released in August indicates that 4.4 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity. Among them, 1.7 million children under five are already acutely malnourished, with 466,000 in critical condition. Currently, WFP’s nutritional programs reach only 180,000 children — a figure likely to decline further as aid dries up.
Funding shortfalls have been exacerbated this year by cuts from the United States and other Western donors. British charity Save the Children warned in May that such gaps could force it to close more than a quarter of its health and nutrition facilities in Somalia.
