Published on: 2026-08-21
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
August 21, 2026 Humanitarian Aid
The global humanitarian funding crisis is increasingly affecting the most vulnerable children in Somalia, where hundreds of medical and food institutions have been forced to close. This was warned on Friday by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
“Nutrition centers are closing, and access to safe water and education is becoming increasingly unattainable for those who need it,” said UNICEF representative James Elder.
Speaking from Nairobi via video link to journalists in Geneva after visiting several cities north of Mogadishu, Elder noted that due to unprecedented cuts in humanitarian aid funding, 205 feeding centers have already closed.
“As always, it is the children who pay the price,” he emphasized.
In the first six months of this year, the number of children admitted to specialized stabilization centers with severe acute malnutrition and complications increased by 32 percent compared to the same period last year.
“Fewer facilities means a longer journey for mothers and infants. A longer journey means later treatment. Later treatment leads to a more severe disease course and increases the risk of preventable death,” Elder warned.
Drought and population displacement
The worsening drought has destroyed a significant portion of crops and livestock in Somalia, depriving hundreds of thousands of the country’s residents of access to food and water. More than half a million people were forced to leave their homes in the first three months of 2026, with nine out of ten cases of population displacement caused specifically by the drought.
Humanitarian organizations are particularly concerned by the fact that 85 percent of displaced persons are women and children, who are also among those most affected by malnutrition.
“Now is not the time to retreat. Somalia is facing a worsening climate crisis, severe droughts in the northern part of the country, conflicts and forced population displacement, as well as the consequences of the war in Iran and rising prices for fuel and fertilizers,” warned the UNICEF representative.
The record-strong El Niño phenomenon threatens to further complicate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Somalia: massive floods are forecast in the coming months.
“Further disruptions are highly likely. Under the current severe funding reduction scenarios, up to 618 medical facilities across the country could be closed,” Elder added.
According to the United Nations World Food Programme, about six million people in Somalia are facing acute food shortages. Nearly 500,000 children under the age of five are in urgent need of treatment for acute malnutrition.
“It is expected that nearly 1.2 million children will suffer from malnutrition this year, including half a million girls and boys with severe acute malnutrition,” Elder emphasized.
Support from UNICEF
During the 2022 drought, UNICEF support helped 130,000 girls and boys continue their education at school, which was an important contribution to protecting children in a country with one of the highest rates of violations of minors’ rights in the world.
In 2024 and 2025, thousands of children, previously associated with armed groups or at risk of recruitment, received reintegration assistance through specialized child protection services.
“Dismantling an effectively working aid system at the moment of greatest need is not saving. It is a decision that will subsequently require much greater expenses related to security, delays in development, and increasingly, the loss of children’s lives,” Elder said.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It represents an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.