UN says it requires $1.42B to scale up humanitarian assistance in Somalia next year

By Hassan Isilow

JOHNNESBURG (AA) - The United Nations said it requires $1.42 billion to increase humanitarian actions in Somalia, where 5.98 million people will need humanitarian assistance in 2025.

Launching its 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) for Somalia on Sunday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said 4.6 million people will be targeted for assistance focusing on lifesaving and life-sustaining assistance for people with the most severe needs.

OCHA said the plan envisioned scaled-up development and climate financing to address the structural drivers of needs, build resilience, reduce the risk of future disasters and adapt to climate change.

Noting that drought and conflict could be among key risks in 2025, it added drier conditions will increase competition over resources, and heighten risks for disease outbreaks.

The UN agency also said conflict accounted for 53% of a total of 455,000 newly displaced people in the horn of Africa country, while climate shocks accounted for the vast majority of displacements in 2022 and 2023.

It said in 2024, the humanitarian situation in Somalia saw slight improvements as compared to previous years, marked by a devastating drought in 2020-23 and severe flooding late last year.