Somalia Crisis

Somalia Map
Source: OCHA/ReliefWeb

The country

Somalia is a country in Eastern Africa, located on the Horn of Africa. Its national capital is Mogadishu. The country shares land borders with Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya and is bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Somalia covers a land area of 637,657 square kilometers. As of 2022, the country had an estimated population of around 17,6 million people. Somalia is regarded as one of the most fragile and least developed states in the world.

The humanitarian situation

People in Somalia are facing one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the world. The crisis is driven by conflict, food insecurity, political instability, climatic shocks and economic decline. Even worse, the humanitarian crisis in Somalia continues to deteriorate. A devastating drought in the country has reached unprecedented levels this year.  Five consecutive rainy seasons have failed, the longest and most severe drought in Somalia’s recent history. As drought ravages the country Somalia has declared a state of humanitarian emergency.

An estimated 3 million Somalis are internally displaced, and about 700,000 people have fled to neighboring countries.  In 2022, about 1.8 million people in Somalia have been forced to flee from their homes, including 1.2 million due to severe drought and 600,000 people due to conflict and violence. An estimated 8.25 million people, nearly half of the population, are this year in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection.

The impact of the drought and widespread insecurity are driving Somalia to the brink of famine. The drought has devastated the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable and marginalized people. Acute malnutrition in children is on the rise. A total of 1.8 million children under five face acute malnutrition; 478,000 of these children face severe malnutrition and may be at risk of dying without immediate treatment. 

Nearly 5 million people across Somalia are currently experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. This includes 96,000 people classified in catastrophic conditions. Significant efforts in scaling up humanitarian assistance and somewhat more favorable rains than predicted have led to a moderate improvement in food security. While famine has not been officially declared in Somalia, the United Nations (UN) says the underlying food crisis remains extremely alarming.  

An estimated 43,000 excess deaths may have occurred in 2022 in Somalia due to the deepening drought. It is feared that half of these deaths may have occurred among children under the age of 5.

Without sustained humanitarian help, the number of people facing acute food insecurity is likely to increase further.  The number of people facing crisis hunger levels in Somalia is expected to rise to 6.5 million people between April and June 2023, including 1.9 million people expected to be in emergency levels. The number of people who are expected to experience catastrophic food shortages is going to rise to 223,000 people. Famine is projected to occur in parts of Bay Region and several other regions are expected to face increased risk of famine.

Humanitarian organizations say international support can head off a devastating famine and prevent the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. The UN had appealed for 2,27 billion US Dollar in funding for the Somalia crisis in 2022. As of December 2022, only $1,29 billion had been received from donors (57% coverage), a shortfall of nearly $1 billion.

Somalia Location

The security situation

Widespread violence and population displacement have adversely affected Somalia since 1991. The current conflict - primarily related to attacks of the al-Shabaab (AS) militia and subsequent military operations, as well as intercommunal violence - continues to restrict economic activities while contributing to further population displacement and food insecurity.

The formation of a new government and the peaceful transfer of power to the president in May 2022 have brought limited political stability to the country. After years of state failure and conflict, Somalis are embarking on a more promising path to the future. The creation of regional states, the rebuilding of institutions, and the positive resumption of cooperation with the international community point to a brighter future for the country.

However, the security situation in Somalia remains extremely unstable. In addition to ongoing political and cross-community tensions, the renewed intensification of military operations against al-Shabaab will likely lead to increased displacement and impede humanitarian access. Attacks against civilians and aid workers also disrupt livelihoods and hinder humanitarian response activities, particularly in areas that lack established local authorities and where al-Shabaab militia is present. 

U.N. agencies in the country say their efforts to reach those affected are limited mainly by a lack of funding and access due to conflict in some areas. While al-Shabaab controls parts of southern Somalia, the recent escalation of the military offensive against the militia has significant humanitarian implications, including increased displacement and reprisal attacks. In 2022, Somalia won significant victories against al-Shabaab, while the militant group has also increased its counterattacks. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, up to 450,000 additional civilians are expected to be displaced in 2023 due to the conflict. 

Recent fighting in Somalia's Sool region, in the breakaway Somaliland republic, has escalated. Hundreds have been killed and at least 285,000 Somalis have been forced to flee their homes so far due to the ongoing violence. More than 100,000 Somalis, mainly women and children, have fled to Ethiopia to escape violent clashes and insecurity in the area of Laascaanood. More than 185,000 people have been displaced inside Somalia from Laascaanood and its surrounding areas since fighting began early February.

Donations

Your donation for the Somalia emergency can help United Nations agencies, international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and their local partners to rapidly provide water, food, medicine, shelter and other aid to the people who need it most.

Currently, many NGOs and UN agencies are appealing for the Horn of Africa hunger crisis or the global hunger crisis. You may also consider making an unearmarked donation or a broader earmarked donation.

You can find more organizations to which you can donate under:  DONARE: Humanitarian Crisis Relief, DONARE: Refugees and IDPS , DONARE: Children in Need and DONARE: Hunger and Food Insecurity.

Further information

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