The main drivers of the humanitarian crisis in Somalia – prolonged drought, conflict, high food and water prices, displacement and disease outbreaks – have pushed an ever-greater number of vulnerable people into despair, with minorities and marginalized groups disproportionately affected. In 2023, an estimated 8.25 million people, about half of the total estimated population, need humanitarian and protection assistance.

An unprecedented drought is devastating Somalia. Following five consecutive poor rainy seasons, the current drought has surpassed 2010-2011 and 2016-2017 droughts in duration and severity. With a sixth below-average rains forecast, the situation is likely to deteriorate further.

An estimated 8 million people lack access to safe water and appropriate sanitation and hygiene services and reported cholera and measles cases continue to surge compared to recent years. The high rates of acute malnutrition continue to increase the risk of diseases and deaths from preventable causes such as cholera, measles, and acute diarrheal diseases, while sick people become malnourished more easily. Fewer than a third of people living in drought-affected areas are estimated to have access to essential health care.

Conflict and insecurity are major impediments to humanitarian operations outside major population centres and in other hard-to- reach areas across Somalia. Conflict and insecurity continue to displace civilians and compound vulnerabilities; in 2022, more than 600,000 people were internally displaced due to conflict and insecurity. Somalia has one of the highest numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the world, currently estimated at 3.8 million people.

The drought and armed conflict are having a devastating impact on the most vulnerable people, particularly on women, children and minority and marginalized groups. Women and children make up more than 80 per cent of Somalia’s displaced people. Drought and food insecurity negatively affect livelihoods, health, living conditions and access to social services, which exacerbate protection risks and pre- existing inequities. Limited access and unavailability of water, sanitation and hygiene services and inadequate shelter render women and girls more vulnerable to gender-based violence and disrupt their ability to live in dignity. 

With its partners, OCHA contributes to principled and effective humanitarian response through coordination, advocacy, policy, information management and humanitarian financing tools and services. In 2022, generous donor support enabled humanitarian organizations to reach 7.3 million people with assistance. The 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Somalia seeks more than US$2.6 billion to meet the priority needs of 7.6 million people out of the 8.25 million people in need. 

OCHA contributes to strengthening the links between humanitarian, development, and peace actors to respond to immediate humanitarian needs, while supporting longer term solutions to build community resilience and break the vulnerability cycle. In collaboration with all relevant actors, OCHA mobilizes action for preparedness, advocates for a coordinated approach to address durable solutions for IDPs and issues of climate change. In addition, OCHA manages the Somalia Humanitarian Fund, a multi-donor country-based pooled mechanism that ensures that funding is available and prioritized locally by those closest to people in need.

OCHA Somalia fulfills its humanitarian mandate through a country office in Mogadishu and field offices in Baidoa, Banadir, Belet Weyne, Dhuusamarreeb, Doolow, Garowe, Hargeysa, Jowhar and Kismayo, as well as a back office presence in Nairobi, Kenya. OCHA Somalia supports the humanitarian response and advocacy efforts of the Humanitarian Coordinator, humanitarian partners and Government authorities at federal and state levels.