MOGADISHU, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- A United Nations agency on Wednesday warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Somalia, with nearly 6.5 million people facing high levels of hunger and more than 1.8 million children at risk of acute malnutrition due to severe drought.
George Conway, deputy special representative for Somalia with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia, said the drought emergency in Somalia has worsened alarmingly, driving soaring water prices, dwindling food supplies, livestock deaths, and critical shortfalls in humanitarian funding.
"Urgent life-saving assistance is essential to save lives and prevent a collapse of pastoral and farming livelihoods, as the coming months are critical with no rains expected at least until the next Gu rains in April-June," Conway said in a joint statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
The warning follows the release of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report on Tuesday, which projects that a third of the population -- 6.5 million people -- will face crisis levels of hunger or worse by March, an increase of 1.7 million since January.
The report also estimates that two million people are experiencing severe hunger, while over 1.8 million children under five will face acute malnutrition in 2026, nearly half a million of them likely to be severely malnourished.
The drought has devastated agriculture, causing widespread crop and livestock losses and triggering large-scale displacement. Both Somalia and the UN cautioned that severe funding cuts have forced humanitarian partners to scale back or suspend essential programs, including food security, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation interventions.
Mohamud Moallim Abdulle, commissioner of the Somalia Disaster Management Agency, said the severity of this drought is undeniable and deeply alarming.
"We urgently call on international partners, the Somali diaspora, businesses, and civil society to scale up immediate support," he added.
