On 26 February 2026, the Global Leadership Roundtable was convened following the Federal Government of Somalia’s activation of its National Preparedness Plan for Food and Nutrition Security Crises on 5 February 2026—the first time this plan has been used since it was established. The decision to activate the plan followed established national procedures, including risk monitoring by the National Bureau of Statistics, technical consultations coordinated by the Ministry of Planning, Investment and Economic Development, and final approval by the Prime Minister.
Somalia is facing a serious and worsening food and nutrition crisis.[1] Current conditions show worrying similarities to previous drought-related crises in 2011, 2017, and 2022–23, which led to widespread hunger, loss of livelihoods, high child malnutrition rates and significant loss of life. Acting speedily now provides a narrow but critical opportunity to prevent the most severe outcomes seen in the past.
Participants in the Global Leadership Roundtable acknowledged the rapid deterioration of food security across Somalia and the growing risk of severe humanitarian and economic impacts. They welcomed the leadership of the Federal Government of Somalia in activating the Preparedness Plan, which provides a coordinated framework to address immediate needs while strengthening the country’s ability to withstand future shocks.
The plan combines urgent humanitarian assistance—such as food, nutrition, and health services—with longer-term measures that support agriculture, protect livelihoods, and strengthen public institutions. Together, these actions aim to save lives now while reducing the risk of repeated crises in the future.
Participants identified three priorities for immediate action.
First, acting quickly. Experience from past crises shows that delays in responding can lead to dramatically worse outcomes. Timely and coordinated action can help families cope with drought, protect livestock and crops, and prevent hunger and malnutrition from worsening. The Federal Government of Somalia has already taken important steps by mobilizing financial resources and launching emergency programs. Continued support from international partners will be critical to scale up interventions in key sectors including agriculture, social protection, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation.
Second, delivering a prioritized and balanced response. Emergency assistance must be combined with investments that help communities recover and become more resilient to future droughts and climate shocks. This includes strengthening food systems, protecting livelihoods, building drought-resilient infrastructure, and investing in services such as health, water and education. Addressing these underlying vulnerabilities now will reduce the likelihood and severity of future crises. This balanced response needs to prioritise most vulnerable geographies and populations.
Third, aligning international support with national priorities. All partners reaffirmed the importance of supporting Somalia’s nationally led response. Assistance should be aligned with the Government’s development and resilience frameworks and coordinated across federal and state institutions. The Government’s crisis escalation package outlines the priority actions required to respond to the crisis, and partners committed to supporting these efforts through financial, technical, and operational assistance. Existing crisis financing mechanisms should be mobilized rapidly to ensure assistance reaches affected communities quickly. Participants also highlighted the importance of supporting Somali businesses and local actors to sustain economic activity and strengthen recovery. To address the worsening situation, partners suggest expanding existing mechanisms and projects that are eligible to respond and enhance emergency response, while quickly mobilizing available resources for life-saving efforts, agricultural activities, and livestock emergency services.
Participants reaffirmed their solidarity with the people of Somalia and their commitment to coordinated international support. Partners encouraged the international community to increase assistance in line with Somalia’s nationally defined priorities in order to reduce suffering, save lives, and protect development gains.
Endorsing Institutions:
- Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
- European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)
- Federal Government of Somalia
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung, BMZ)
- Oxfam
- Save the Children
- The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
- United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
- United Nations Somalia system (including the Integrated Office of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General/Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator (DSRSG/RC/HC),
- World Bank Group (WBG)
- World Food Programme (WFP)
[1] According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis issued in February 2026, an estimated 6.5 million people in Somalia are facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), including more than 2 million people experiencing emergency levels of hunger (IPC Phase 4). More than 1.8 million children under five are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2026.
