Joint News Release
Mogadishu - The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned today of a rapidly intensifying hunger emergency in Somalia that is pushing 6 million people - 31 percent of the population - into critical levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between April and June 2026, along with one of the worst malnutrition crises in the world impacting approximately 1.9 million children, of whom 493,000 face severe acute malnutrition, who are 12 times at higher risk of death compared to well-nourished children.
Among those projected to be acutely food insecure, close to 1.9 million are facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4), a number that has tripled in less than a year, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis report. Meanwhile, populations in agropastoral livelihoods in Burhakaba district of Bay region face the risk of famine under a worst-case scenario where the current April to June Gu season rains fail, food prices continue to rise sharply and humanitarian assistance is not scaled up to reach the most vulnerable populations through June 2026, due to further worsening of acute malnutrition, food insecurity and increased mortality. Nearly 40 per cent of children under five in this area are already acutely malnourished.
This marks the first risk of famine analysis since the 2022 crisis, when famine was averted through massively scaled up and sustained humanitarian interventions in the aftermath of the longest drought on record. The current worsening crisis is driven by multiple shocks, including severe drought, insecurity, extremely limited humanitarian assistance, and the ripple effects of conflict in the Middle East, and increased risk of flooding in riverine and low-lying areas. Food prices - linked to fuel price increases and maritime supply chain disruptions - have risen by up to 20 per cent, weakening household purchasing power and pushing families closer to the brink.
The compounding shocks have been exacerbated by a major reduction in services and humanitarian assistance due to severe funding constraints. More than 500 health and nutrition facilities have been closed across the country due to lack of funding, with disease outbreaks not being controlled and mortality risks rising. Total measles cases across Somalia have doubled during January to March 2026 compared to the first quarter of 2025, particularly impacting vulnerable and already acutely malnourished children.
Humanitarian assistance in the most at-risk areas, including Burhakaba, is being scaled up within severely constrained resources. However, coverage remains limited nationwide, with nearly 90 percent of people receiving little or no support. The 2026 Somalia Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is currently only 15.2 per cent funded.
At the same time, emerging El Niño forecasts signal an increased risk of flooding later in the year, with some areas along the Shabelle River already experiencing above-average flows that may intensify sooner than expected. Alongside the continued impacts of conflict in the Middle East and insufficient support, projections suggest that levels of acute food insecurity and malnutrition will remain high through late 2026.
FAO, OCHA, UNICEF, and WFP are calling for an urgent scale-up of lifesaving multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance - food security, nutrition, health, WASH - for populations in IPC Phase 3 and above, including those facing a risk of famine. Sustained and predictable funding are critical to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
"The IPC analysis paints a stark and urgent picture, with rising numbers of malnourished children and confirmed famine risk in Burhkaba district. Without immediate and sustained support from donors, the diaspora and the private sector, we risk a preventable catastrophe unfolding before our eyes. We must act now, at scale and without delay, to save lives and prevent the worst from happening," says George Conway, Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia.
"The country is at a tipping point," said FAO Somalia Representative Etienne Peterschmitt. "The severe and prolonged drought that has devastated livelihoods, coupled with the conflict in the Middle East that has driven up food and fuel prices, and the growing risk of severe flooding linked to El Niño means that the country is at the precipice of a famine risk once again. The competing and recurring crises are placing an even greater strain on vulnerable communities. We recognize that resources are more constrained than ever, but we must act now and respond at sufficient scale to save lives and livelihoods, especially in rural areas where needs are highest."
"Across Somalia, children are facing a rapidly worsening crisis and time is running out. While communities and frontline workers remain resilient, they cannot do it alone. UNICEF is urgently scaling up lifesaving support. With swift action, we can still save lives and uphold every child's right to survive and thrive," says UNICEF Somalia's Representative, Ms. Sandra Lattouf.
"We are reaching a point where delay could cost lives," said Hameed Nuru, WFP's Country Director in Somalia. "Families have exhausted their coping mechanisms, services and emergency assistance are extremely limited, and children are slipping into severe malnutrition across the country. We stand ready to scale up immediately and reach the hardest‑hit communities, but without immediate support, lifesaving assistance will run out when it is needed most."
