By: ThinkBusiness Africa
The European Union announced on Thursday that it will provide €63 million ($74.39 million) in emergency humanitarian funding to Somalia, as the nation faces a devastating trifecta of prolonged drought, internal conflict, and soaring food prices.
The funding comes at a critical juncture. Earlier this week, the United Nations and the Somali government warned that nearly 6.5 million people—roughly one-third of the population—are expected to face crisis-level hunger by the end of March 2026.
The EU’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) stated that the aid will be channeled through trusted partners on the ground to ensure it reaches those in the most remote and hard-to-reach areas.
The package is designed to specifically address immediate survival needs, focusing on: Life-saving Health & Nutrition Treatment for the estimated 1.85 million children under the age of five at risk of acute malnutrition.
The announcement follows a stark warning from the World Food Programme (WFP) that its life-saving assistance in Somalia could be forced to halt as early as April without a significant influx of new funding.
Ongoing fighting between the Somali armed forces and Al-Shabaab militants continues to displace thousands of families.
Global inflation and regional instability have pushed the price of basic staples beyond the reach of the average citizen.
“At a time when humanitarian programs are severely affected by global aid cuts, the EU remains committed to providing emergency relief to the most vulnerable people in Somalia,” the EU said in a statement.
This latest allocation brings the total amount of EU humanitarian aid provided to Somalia since 2017 to over €750 million. Earlier this month, the EU also formalized a separate €102 million financial package aimed at long-term state-building and fiscal stability, signaling a dual-track approach of providing both immediate relief and structural support.
