UNICEF Warns of Somalia’s Worsening Child Hunger Crisis as Aid Cuts Ta

Life-threatening malnutrition among children in Somalia has spiked by 32 percent in the first six months of 2026, the United Nations has warned, as more than 200 health and nutrition facilities were forced to close following cuts to international aid.

The East African country is facing a severe drought that has killed livestock, ruined harvests, and destroyed livelihoods. Nearly 1.9 million children are projected to be malnourished this year.

Averting Healthcare and Nutrition Services

UNICEF spokesman James Elder said aid cuts are "closing doors to healthcare, shutting down nutrition services, and pushing water, education, and protection further out of reach." As many as 618 health facilities could close nationwide under "severe funding scenarios," Elder warned.

Funding for addressing acute malnutrition in parts of Somalia has dropped by more than 80 percent this year, Doctors Without Borders said earlier this month. The United States and several other Western countries have slashed aid.

Displacement and Food Shortages

Aid groups estimate that the drought has displaced about 500,000 people between January and April, adding to roughly 3.3 million Somalis already uprooted. One-third of Somalia's population of 19 million people is facing severe food shortages.

The drought has also quadrupled the prices of water in rural and pastoral areas, making it even harder for people to access this basic necessity, according to UNICEF.

Compounding the Crisis

The cuts have compounded the effects of the current drought, making it even more challenging for people to access basic necessities like water and nutrition services. Fuel and fertiliser costs have risen due to the US-Israel war on Iran, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

A record-strength El Nino climate pattern is forecast to worsen the humanitarian crisis with severe flooding, Elder said. Nearly a million children below five, adolescent girls, and women risk losing access to nutrition services.

As the situation in Somalia continues to deteriorate, the international community is faced with the daunting task of addressing the severe humanitarian crisis unfolding in the country.

Source: JOY