Since 2020, Somalia has been enduring a drought induced by climate change, leading to numerous deaths and widespread displacement.
Although the Somali government and its partners made progress against the drought in 2022, Amnesty International claims that those displaced most recently in 2025 have been neglected.
“Repeatedly, Somali authorities and the international community have failed to safeguard thousands of people from drought-impacted communities in southern Somalia, subjecting them to violations of their rights to food, water, family, health, and life,” Amnesty International stated in a recent report.
Tigere Chagutah, the Regional Director for East and Southern Africa at Amnesty International, points out that the situation has deteriorated due to climate change and conflict, urging wealthier nations to offer assistance to mitigate the effects of climate change in Somalia.
“Somalia contributes minimally to global warming; nonetheless, its population is suffering the consequences of the climate crisis, compounded by ongoing conflict and poverty. Countries with high incomes, particularly those most accountable for climate change, must fulfill their responsibilities to aid Somalia in adapting to climate change’s impacts,” Chagutah remarked.
The report indicates that Somalia ranks as the seventh most vulnerable country to climate change in the world. It also highlights that between September 2024 and March 2025, 177 individuals were displaced to the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya.
On October 7, 2025, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) requested emergency funding of 25 million Swiss francs to tackle the humanitarian crisis in Somalia.
Naemi Heita, the IFRC Head of Delegation for the Nairobi Country Cluster, which includes Kenya and Somalia, noted that the drought has severely impacted communities in Somalia, crippling access to essential resources like food, water, and livestock fodder.
“This drought, driven by climate considerations, is exacerbating an already intricate humanitarian crisis, depriving communities of water, food, and fodder. Volunteers from the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) are on the front lines, dedicated to assisting their neighbours,” Heita stated.
Mahmoud Moallim, the Commissioner of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), stated that conflict and a lack of funding obstruct aid efforts in responding to the crisis.
“This time, we are facing not only the horrific consequences of drought but also additional risks, including conflict and an unprecedented drop in humanitarian funding,” Moallim was quoted as saying by the WFP.
A report released on January 22, 2025, by the Somali Federal Ministry of Health, UNICEF, and the World Health Organisation estimated that drought may have caused at least 71,000 deaths between January 2022 and June 2024.
The research further indicated that around 40% of these fatalities involved children under the age of five.
A study conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Imperial College London, and SIMAD University in Somalia, published in March 2023, estimated that an additional 43,000 deaths resulted from the 2022 drought.
