UN warns of worsening hunger crisis in Somalia as millions face high levels of food insecurity

The United Nations is warning that Somalia is facing another major hunger crisis, with about six million people now said to be experiencing high levels of food insecurity. The warning comes as drought, conflict and displacement continue to affect access to food across the country. Humanitarian agencies say the situation has become more difficult because of severe cuts in international aid.

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The World Food Programme says many people are not getting enough to eat and that it has only a fraction of the funding it needs to provide assistance. The warning points to a worsening emergency rather than a sudden shock, with the country already struggling to cope with overlapping pressures. The scale of the problem means the crisis is affecting a large share of the population and is likely to place further strain on aid operations.

Instability has complicated aid delivery in Somalia for more than three decades, making it harder for relief agencies to reach communities in need. The current situation is being driven by a combination of drought, conflict and displacement, all of which reduce household access to food and limit the ability of aid groups to respond. The funding shortfall also raises the risk that some assistance programmes may be reduced or delayed.

The warning matters because Somalia has repeatedly faced severe food-security emergencies, and the latest figures suggest the country is again at risk of a broad humanitarian deterioration. Food insecurity on this scale can deepen displacement, increase dependence on external aid and make recovery more difficult in areas already affected by instability. It also highlights the wider impact of shrinking international support on crisis response in vulnerable states.

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The issue is being discussed by humanitarian specialists including Samira Gaid, founding director of Balqiis Insights, Mohamed Abdi, country director for Somalia at the Norwegian Refugee Council, and Omar Mahmood, senior analyst for Somalia at the International Crisis Group. Their roles reflect the broader concern among aid and policy experts that the crisis is not only about food supply, but also about access, security and the ability of relief agencies to operate. The warning also underlines how closely Somalia's hunger situation is tied to the country's long-running instability.

What remains unclear is how far current aid cuts will affect the scale and timing of assistance in the coming weeks. It is also not yet clear whether additional funding will be mobilised quickly enough to prevent the situation from worsening further. The key issue to watch is whether humanitarian agencies can maintain support for the millions now identified as being at high risk.

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