Somalia: famine averted but UN warns of ‘catastrophic’ situation

With record-breaking drought in the Horn of Africa affecting half the population of Somalia, the United Nations has warned if more aid does not arrive soon, the Horn of Africa will suffer its worst famine in half a century.

Famine has been narrowly averted in Somalia, but the situation remains “catastrophic,” the United Nations has said, adding that if aid is not scaled up, famine is expected in southern Somalia between April and June 2023. As a result of severe food insecurity, several parts of the country are in danger of famine in the coming months, according to a new food security report by UN and other experts released this week.

The report said more than 8 million people face “an unprecedented level of need” after five consecutive failed rainy seasons and “exceptionally high” food prices. While the report does not declare famine at this point of time, Jens Laerke, spokesman for UN humanitarian agency OCHA, however, warned that this “does not mean that people are not experiencing catastrophic food shortages”.

The report indicated surging numbers of people are at the highest level on the UN’s five-scale food insecurity classification, known as IPC, which means they have dangerously little access to food and could face starvation. When a large enough portion of a population is estimated to be at IPC level 5, a famine is declared.

Between now and next June, the number of people at IPC5 in Somalia is expected to more than triple from 214,000 to 727,000 as drought, violence and displacement continue to threaten people’s lives and livelihoods, according to the UN. “The situation can hardly get any worse,” Laerke warned and appealed to countries “to step up and help the humanitarian organizations continue the very important and truly life-saving work” in Somalia.