Somalia

In a country of 18.7 million people, the United Nations estimates that 6.9 million Somalis — over 36% of the population — will require humanitarian assistance in 2024. 

While rains reached the Horn of Africa in 2023, ending the worst drought the region (which includes Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya) experienced in over 40 years, the country is still recovering from this climate shock. At the end of 2023, it was also faced with some of the worst rains and floods in generations due to El Niño, which caused additional damage and displacement in the final months of the year. This, combined with conflict, insecurity, and other factors, has led to nearly 4 million people internally displaced within Somalia, 80% of whom are women and children, who face additional risks exacerbated by structural inequalities. 

Amid additional concerns over access to clean water, sanitation infrastructure, and hygiene necessities, healthcare, and education, hunger remains one of the key areas of focus for the crisis in Somalia. In 2024, the UN estimates that 4.8 million people will require nutrition support, and an additional 4.3 million will require humanitarian assistance in the area of food security and livelihoods. While both of these figures have decreased since the height of the Horn of Africa drought, they still represent the biggest priority for families in need. Approximately 1.5 million children under the age of five are expected to face acute malnutrition in 2024.