Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has called for greater international assistance for people affected by Somalia’s humanitarian crisis, saying violence and extreme weather are worsening already difficult living conditions, particularly for women and children.
Speaking after the Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, September 20, the Pope said he was following the humanitarian situation in parts of Somalia with great concern.
“I am following with great concern the humanitarian crisis unfolding in parts of Somalia, where episodes of violence and extreme weather events are worsening the already precarious living conditions of the population, particularly women and children,” he said.
The Pope called for a “generous response from the international community” so that people affected by the crisis can receive the assistance they need.
The appeal comes as Somalia faces several overlapping pressures, including food insecurity, malnutrition, displacement, conflict, climate shocks and severe shortages in humanitarian funding.
The United Nations 2026 humanitarian response plan requires US$852 million to provide assistance to 2.4 million people. The response remains seriously underfunded, limiting the ability of humanitarian organisations to provide food, health care, water and other essential services.
The World Food Programme has warned that its ability to reach people is far below the scale of need. About 6 million people in Somalia are facing crisis levels of hunger or worse, while 1.9 million children under five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition during 2026.
WFP has also said it urgently needs US$193.8 million to maintain life saving assistance through January 2027.
Earlier this year, a food security assessment warned that close to 1.9 million people were facing emergency levels of food insecurity. It also identified a risk of famine in Burhakaba district in the Bay region under a worst case scenario involving continued food price increases, inadequate humanitarian assistance and poor rainfall.
The assessment did not mean that famine had been declared across Somalia.
The food crisis has been made worse by drought, which has damaged farming and livestock livelihoods. Poor and irregular rainfall during the April to June Gu season reduced water and pasture availability in several parts of the country.
Many families have struggled to maintain their livestock and livelihoods as they search for water and grazing areas.
Somalia is now also facing another climate threat. The Food and Agriculture Organization and other agencies have warned of an elevated risk of serious flooding during the October to December Deyr rainy season.
The risk of heavy rainfall and flooding is particularly concerning because many communities are already weakened by drought and food shortages. Flooding could further affect homes, crops, livestock and access to essential services.
Health services are also under severe pressure. Doctors Without Borders has called for greater donor support to restore and expand malnutrition treatment in the Mudug region. The organisation has reported a sharp increase in children requiring treatment and said more than 70 health facilities in Puntland have closed.
Between January and July, Doctors Without Borders admitted 1,389 children to the malnutrition ward it supports at Mudug Regional Hospital in Galkayo. Of those children, 809 were severely malnourished.
The organisation has warned that existing services cannot meet the growing needs of the population.
The humanitarian crisis is also linked to continuing insecurity. Somalia has experienced decades of conflict since the fall of President Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. Al Shabaab continues to operate across large parts of central and southern Somalia and remains a major security threat.
Conflict, drought and insecurity have contributed to displacement and have made it harder for people to access food, health care and other basic services. Humanitarian organisations also face difficulties reaching communities in areas affected by fighting.
The crisis is being driven by several overlapping pressures, including food insecurity, malnutrition, displacement, conflict, funding shortages and climate shocks.
For millions of Somalis, the coming months could bring continued hunger and insecurity, while heavy rains could add to the challenges facing communities already affected by drought.
Pope Leo’s appeal has renewed attention on the need for sustained humanitarian assistance for Somalia, particularly for children, women and families facing the most severe effects of the crisis.