The UK Minister for International Development and Africa, Baroness Jenny Chapman, concluded her first visit to Somalia where she also announced a £6 million in new humanitarian funding to Somalia.
At Villa Somalia, the Minister was hosted by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Discussions focussed on the rapidly escalating drought risk across Somalia and the significant challenges it is causing for vulnerable communities. Baroness Chapman underscored the UK's shift from a traditional donor relationship to an investment‑driven development partnership, designed to strengthen Somali resilience, support economic opportunity, reduce long‑term vulnerability to climate‑induced shocks and deter irregular migration. She also recognised the critical leadership role the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) continues to play in responding to drought‑related needs across the country and agreed to continue vital coordination between the FGS and the UK to address need.
The Minister congratulated the President for his Government's leadership in response to the ongoing drought and food security crisis and heard how, through collaboration between the Government, the UK, the World Bank and the United Nations, over 500,000 people affected by drought are already receiving emergency cash support. She also welcomed the activation of the UK-supported African Risk Capacity (ARC) insurance policy for drought response - triggering $3.4 million in rapid payouts to the Government for emergency drought response, ensuring timely and effective support to those most in need.
The Minister and President also discussed the activation of the ARC Replica insurance for the Start Network and the World Food Programme, providing over $2 million for humanitarian partners to respond quickly to needs. Start Network's pre-arranged finance facility Start Ready has already disbursed almost $3 million for anticipatory action in Somalia, mitigating humanitarian impacts before conditions deteriorate. The UK has supported these mechanisms since their inception as part of efforts to increase the use of pre-arranged finance for early action and improve the efficiency of humanitarian response.
Visiting a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in Mogadishu with Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama, Baroness Chapman announced £6 million in additional UK humanitarian assistance. This new assistance will target the highest‑need locations to deliver life‑saving support to over 129,000 people impacted by drought.
Speaking at the WFP warehouse, the Minister emphasised the need to protect vulnerable Somali communities get urgent assistance to them in advance. She urged continued partnership between the UK, UN, the Somali Government and other partners.
Ending her programme in Somalia, the Minister met United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) and African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) leaders, to thank them for their commitment to Somalia's security. During a visit to their air operations facility, she was able to better understand the UN's vital support work and see the contribution made by UK support to AUSSOM and UNSOS. She also met UK service personnel, part of Operation Tangham, supporting UN and AU operations and thanked them for their vital efforts to train the Somali National Army.
UK funding is helping build the capacity of the Somali forces, saving lives and countering violent extremists - for a safer, more secure Somalia.
