MOGADISHU, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- An estimated 5.98 million people in Somalia will require humanitarian and protection assistance in 2025, marking a 13 percent decrease from 2024, the UN relief agency reported Thursday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), citing the 2025 Humanitarian Program Cycle (HPC) projections, said that of the 5.98 million people in need, relief partners will target 4.6 million, a reduction of 11 percent from the 5.2 million targeted for assistance in 2024.
"This reduction reflects a stricter scope-setting approach, identifying people affected by shocks that drive humanitarian needs," OCHA said in its humanitarian update released in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital.
The humanitarian crisis in Somalia is among the world's most complex, characterized by recurring cycles of internal conflict and climate shocks that drive displacement and hinder development efforts, OCHA said.
Climate change exacerbates vulnerabilities, as altered rainfall patterns contribute to both droughts and floods.
According to OCHA, 9.1 million people, or 47 percent of Somalia's population, are affected by multiple shocks, including floods, drought, disease outbreaks, and displacement.
OCHA said humanitarians plan to expand the integrated response framework and area-based coordination mechanisms to decentralize operations and bring support closer to affected populations.
The HPC projections come amid a grim outlook for the rest of 2024, with a 70 percent likelihood of La Nina conditions from the last quarter of 2024 to early 2025. Anticipated below-average rains in late 2024 are expected to worsen food insecurity, OCHA warned.
The situation is particularly concerning as Somalia has received only 40 percent of the 1.59 billion U.S. dollars needed for the 2024 response, OCHA said. The agency warned that the situation will further exacerbate drinking water scarcity for about 300,000 people in 10 districts across central and southern states.
OCHA noted that acute food insecurity remains high, with at least 4.4 million people facing severe levels. Furthermore, an estimated 1.6 million children are at risk of acute malnutrition in the next 12 months, including 402,000 likely to suffer from severe acute malnutrition.
