New UN-backed report: Middle East conflict and climate crisis push Somalia to brink of famine

Somalia is facing a catastrophic hunger crisis made worse by soaring food and fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict, a years-long climate change induced drought and chronic internal instability, according to a new report released today by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).  

The report found that six million people – nearly one in three Somalis - are experiencing critical shortages of food. Of these, 1.9 million are facing emergency levels of hunger, just one step away from famine conditions.  

Millions are now at immediate risk of starvation in the country as conflict-driven price rises continue to push basic food supplies out of reach for families already devastated by repeated failed rainy seasons.  

George Ayres, Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Advisor at Plan International UK said: “Today’s alarming report shows how far-reaching the humanitarian impacts of the Middle East conflict truly are. Urgent action is now needed to stop children and their families losing their lives to extreme hunger in Somalia. 

“Girls are especially vulnerable during hunger crises. They are often the last to eat and the first to be pulled out of school, while the risk of early marriage and exploitation rise sharply as families struggle to survive.  

“At the very moment Somalia is being pushed closer to famine, the UK is slashing life-saving aid to Africa by 56%. Consecutive failed rainy seasons have devastated harvests and contributed to disastrous food shortages – yet climate programmes are among those facing the deepest cuts in the UK’s shrunken aid budget. 

“Without an immediate Middle East peace agreement and a drastic increase in humanitarian aid, many more will die from extreme hunger.  Somalia’s worsening crisis shows why cutting foreign aid is so dangerous. The UK Government cannot continue to turn its back on children facing starvation.” 

Sadia Allin, Country Director for Plan International Somalia said: “In Somalia millions are waking up each day not knowing where their next meal or drop of water will come from.  Families are walking for miles under a relentless sun, searching for something as basic as water.  

“In the harshest places, lives are being lost - not suddenly, but slowly, painfully, and far from the eyes of the world. Mothers are watching their children’s lives slip away needlessly. We cannot afford to repeat the kind of tragedy witnessed in the 2011 Somalia famine, when a quarter of a million people died, most of them children under five. Now we have the chance to save lives, livelihoods and protect dignity.”