UN Says it Risks Halting Somalia Aid

The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday warned that it may have to stop providing humanitarian assistance in Somalia by April unless it receives urgent funding.

The Rome-based agency said it has already reduced the number of emergency food aid recipients from 2.2 million in early 2025 to just over 600,000 today.

“Without immediate funding, WFP will be forced to halt humanitarian assistance by April,” the agency said in a statement.

Ross Smith, WFP Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response, said, “The situation is deteriorating at an alarming rate.” 

He added, “Families have lost everything, and many are already being pushed to the brink. Without immediate emergency food support, conditions will worsen quickly.

“We are at the cusp of a decisive moment; without urgent action, we may be unable to reach the most vulnerable in time, most of them women and children.”

Earlier in January, the United States suspended aid to Somalia following reports of theft and government interference, after a US-funded WFP warehouse at Mogadishu’s port was destroyed. 

Aid distribution resumed on January 29, but UN agencies have since warned that funding shortfalls are worsening globally after cuts under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The WFP estimates that around 4.4 million people in Somalia are facing crisis-level food insecurity, as the Horn of Africa nation continues to grapple with conflict and two consecutive failed rainy seasons.