Somali Observatory for Humanitarian Affairs It is a specialized, independent, non-profit media network that observes and follows up the Somali humanitarian scene
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NAIROBI — A recent report by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) estimates that about 42 million people will face high levels of acute food insecurity this year across Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
The Regional Focus of the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises, released on Tuesday, stated that hunger levels in these six countries remain alarmingly high. The report noted, as per China’s Xinhua News Agency, that the number of people in severe food crisis in five of these countries—Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda—has nearly tripled, rising from 13.9 million in 2016 to 41.7 million in 2025.
The report also indicated that acute malnutrition remains a critical issue across the region, with 11.4 million children aged 6-59 months acutely malnourished across seven IGAD member states, and 3.1 million in need of urgent, life-saving treatment.
Although improved rainfall in late 2024 and early 2025 boosted crop and livestock production, these gains were eroded by flooding, localized conflicts, and economic shocks that limited access to food, the report added.
In this context, Anthony Awira, IGAD’s director of planning, coordination, and partnerships, who launched the report on behalf of Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu, warned that the crisis could undermine economic resilience, stability, and peace in the region, underscoring the need for a coordinated response.
Awira added, according to Xinhua, that “through collective action, working across governments, regional institutions, and partners, we can address the root causes of vulnerability and create lasting solutions for our people.”
