Flash flooding, below-average rainfall, high food prices and ongoing conflict have combined to drive hunger levels up 30% across Somalia, with the south worst hit, according to new figures from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which monitors global hunger.
IPC estimates that 4.4 million people, or just under a quarter of the population, will experience high levels of acute food insecurity by the end of 2025. This includes over 921,000 people facing emergency levels of food insecurity or Phase 4, the second highest IPC level when urgent action is needed to save lives and livelihoods.
The new data suggests the number of children suffering acute malnutrition between August 2025 and July 2026 could rise to 1.85 million, an increase of 9% from previous forecasts.
Save the Children said this severe deterioration in malnutrition is compounded by cuts in international assistance which have led to reduced access to health and nutrition services, with insufficient vaccination coverage leading to an increase in diseases such as a current diphtheria outbreak.
The closure of nutrition centers and health facilities – including more than a quarter of facilities supported by Save the Children – has left over 55,000 children without access to life-saving nutrition services since June.
MNA/
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