MOGADISHU, 23 Nov. - (ANA) - Somalia is suffering a severe drought that has further strained communities already facing acute food shortages. Last week, the Somali Federal Government and regional authorities declared a “national state of emergency”, warning of mounting risks ahead of the upcoming “spring” rainy season.

 

The authorities called on all state institutions, humanitarian organisations, and international partners to take immediate action to create a supportive environment that strengthens public health, ensures access to water, and secures food supplies, while also working on sustainable solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

 

The Semi-autonomous state Puntland State of Somalia also warned of a potential drought crisis that could affect nearly one million people, according to statements by Vide President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor during a press conference in the city of Garowe.

 

The resulting humanitarian situation is deteriorating. Since last October, more than four million Somalis have faced food insecurity, including two million children suffering from malnutrition—500,000 of whom are at risk of severe acute malnutrition.

 

The drought across central and southern regions has forced families, especially in border areas, to flee in search of pasture, said Ahmed Abdi Adam, deputy head of the National Disaster Management Authority, in remarks to our Arabic edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. Conditions in Bay and Bakool are similar, with families moving back and forth across the Ethiopian and Kenyan borders as water and grazing disappear.

 

He attributed the recurring droughts of the past decade to a persistent decline in rainfall, compounded by a weak international response and shrinking humanitarian support.

 

Adam urged Arab and Islamic relief organisations to intervene urgently to address malnutrition, water shortages, and food insecurity and to support families struggling under Somalia’s escalating drought crisis.

 

Around one hundred displaced pastoralist families are living in dire conditions in the Naso-Hablod camp on the outskirts of Hargeisa, Somaliland’s capital. Somaliland is an unrecognised breakaway republic seceding from Sudan. Successive droughts wiped out their herds in Buqle, Darrarwayne, and surrounding villages, forcing them to flee in early October after hundreds of camels and goats died. 

 

Hamda Ahmed Hassan, a mother of seven, said her family does not have enough food, explaining that she relies on small amounts of assistance from relatives in Hargeisa. When even that is unavailable, she is forced to send her children to bed hungry. “Sometimes we get a bit of food,” she says, “but we have no water or charcoal to cook it. We are displaced, and life here is extremely harsh.”

 

Hamda Ahmed Hassan, a mother of seven, said her family often goes without food and survives on sporadic help from relatives in Hargeisa. When even that is unavailable, she is forced to send her children to bed hungry.

 

“Sometimes we get a bit of food, but we have no water or charcoal to cook it. We are displaced, and life here is extremely harsh,” she said.

 

She has been unable to find cleaning work in the city, seven kilometres away, and her family relies on a single small bottle of water provided daily by local residents because they cannot afford to buy water from private vendors.

 

Hamda and her children walked 60 kilometres over two days to reach the camp, and she now carries the full responsibility for the family after her husband developed psychological disorders that prevent him from working. The family cannot afford any medication or healthcare for him.

 

Aisha Nour Ali, displaced from Darrarwayne and living with her 12 family members, says they have gone days without food. She was diagnosed with cancer seven months ago and cannot afford her medication. A private clinic that previously provided her with painkillers is now demanding payment of a $100 debt before offering any further treatment. “The place is dangerously contaminated,” she warns, describing the camp’s lack of medical care, sanitation, and basic services.

 

Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed, director of the Naso-Hablod camp, said the camp received nearly 100 new families in October alone, all fleeing drought-stricken areas. He said administrators have informed local authorities but received no response, warning that the families “are not receiving any of the basic services necessary for survival.”   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/23 November 2025 - - -