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MOGADISHU — The Federal Government of Somalia officially launched the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) today in a formal ceremony in Mogadishu, aiming to establish a comprehensive roadmap to secure urgent assistance for those most affected by the nation’s climate and security crises.
The launch event featured high-level attendance led by His Excellency Jibril Abdirashid Haji, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, and His Excellency Mohamud Moalim Abdulle, Chairman of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), alongside a notable UN presence reflecting global solidarity with the Somali cause.
The UN delegation was led by Mr. George Conway, the UN Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, who emphasized in his statement that the humanitarian community in Somalia currently stands at a “critical crossroads” due to mounting financial challenges.
The ambitious 2026 plan seeks to mobilize approximately $852 million USD to provide life-saving relief and protection assistance to 2.4 million people, focusing on the most vulnerable regions suffering from acute food insecurity and the deterioration of essential services.
In his remarks, Mr. George Conway warned that unprecedented reductions in international funding have significantly constrained the collective capacity to deliver essential aid, noting that millions who have relied on assistance for decades now face the risk of losing their only source of support.
The UN official explained that the humanitarian presence has diminished across vast areas of the country at a time when needs remain high, increasing the risk of loss of lives. He called upon the international community to recognize its responsibility and provide the necessary financial backing to ensure the continuity of relief operations.
For his part, His Excellency Mohamud Moalim Abdulle, Chairman of SoDMA, confirmed that the plan represents a fundamental tool for saving lives and alleviating suffering, particularly as water sources deplete and rangelands degrade, pushing millions toward hunger and forced displacement.
The SoDMA Chairman noted that the Somali government is committed to enhancing coordination with international partners to ensure distribution efficiency, with a focus on building resilience and adaptation to recurring climate shocks that pose the greatest threat to livelihoods in Somalia.
In the same context, His Excellency Jibril Abdirashid Haji, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, delivered a speech calling on UN agencies, international organizations, and donors to strengthen strategic cooperation with Somali national institutions to implement the plan’s provisions with precision and transparency.
The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the government prioritizes the integration of humanitarian efforts with developmental pathways, asserting that overcoming current crises requires a collective spirit and a strong international partnership that goes beyond temporary relief toward finding sustainable solutions.
The new plan prioritizes reaching 1.6 million people living in extreme conditions across 21 high-risk districts, providing healthcare, nutrition, education, and protection services to ensure an integrated response that respects the dignity of the Somali people.
The launch ceremony concluded by emphasizing that the success of the 2026 plan rests on the speed of international financial response and the activation of monitoring mechanisms, ensuring that international commitments translate into a tangible reality that protects Somali families and secures the future of coming generations.
The 2026 Response Plan serves as a sovereign and humanitarian document reflecting the mature partnership between Mogadishu and the United Nations. While Somalia faces a concerning “funding gap” as highlighted by Conway, the government, through its national institutions, seeks to affirm its administrative readiness to lead humanitarian action, placing the international community before a true test of its commitment to the stability of the Horn of Africa.
