Friday, May 22, 2026

Somalia Faces Severe Hunger as US Ends Most Humanitarian Aid

The International Crisis Group posted on 19 May 2026 a commentary titled "Somalia Barrels Toward Possible Famine amid Aid Cuts" by Chris Newton and Omar Mahmood.

Parts of Somalia face severe hunger and could slip into famine caused by a combination of drought, climate induced flooding, price hikes because of the Iran war, political infighting, and the al-Shabaab insurgency.  

Until recently, the largest provider of humanitarian assistance to Somalia was the United States.  But it has largely ended funding and other donors have not stepped forward to fill the void.