Issue No. 597

Navigating climate change, donor fatigue, and humanitarian crisis

In a world grappling with the consequences of climate change, few nations face as dire a future as Somalia. Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events are becoming the new normal. The nation's predominantly rural population, heavily dependent on pastoralism and agriculture, is caught in the crosshairs of this environmental crisis. Famine was avoided last year, but over 40,000 people, half of them children under 5, died due to the intense drought. Somalia stands at a critical juncture where the convergence of climate change, donor fatigue, and humanitarian crisis threatens to plunge the nation into further instability.
 
Somalia's pastoral communities have relied on livestock such as camels, goats, and cattle for centuries. These nomadic herders have learned to adapt to the arid environment, migrating in search of water and grazing land. However, the changing climate is making their way of life untenable. Droughts are more severe and prolonged, causing an estimated four million livestock losses that have devastated livelihoods. As pastures wither and water sources diminish, tensions rise among competing communities. This threatens to exacerbate conflict in an already fragile state.
 
Agriculture, which has struggled due to inadequate infrastructure and land degradation, is also threatened by climate change. Rainfall patterns are increasingly erratic, leading to crop failures and food shortages. Without reliable access to water for irrigation, farmers find it difficult to diversify their crops and adapt to changing conditions. In a country where agriculture contributes significantly to the economy and food security, the implications of this vulnerability are dire.
 
The interplay of climate change, poverty, and conflict has resulted in an ever-worsening humanitarian situation in Somalia. Millions of Somalis now need humanitarian assistance, and over a quarter of the country is trapped in crisis-level hunger. Malnutrition rates are rising, and access to clean water is limited. Displaced populations are vulnerable to disease outbreaks, and children are unable to access quality education. The scale of this crisis has prompted international donors and organisations to provide aid, but donor fatigue looms large.
 
While Somalia has relied on international assistance for years, donor fatigue is a growing concern. Frequent appeals for humanitarian aid have led to diminishing support from donor nations. As other global crises capture the world's attention, Somalia is finding it increasingly challenging to secure the resources it needs to address its climate-related challenges and humanitarian needs.
 
On 19 September, senior European Union (EU) anonymous officials reported the temporary suspension of funding to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) following a UN investigation that uncovered a significant diversion of humanitarian aid. Though the total European Commission funding amounted to just USD 7 million of the USD 1 billion that WFP received last year, it is symptomatic of a growing frustration over humanitarian programmes from which a significant portion of support is siphoned off. In June, the WFP and USAID suspended aid to Ethiopia, after an initial suspension to the Tigray region, after uncovering systematic aid theft. 
 
The investigation in Somalia reportedly revealed an entire ‘ecosystem’ that stole humanitarian aid, ranging from the gatekeepers who control access to internally displaced person (IDP) camps to local authorities and security forces. IDPs were forced to pay part of their cash aid to officials across Somalia. Ironically, the use of cash aid in Somalia accelerated after another international aid theft scandal in 2011.
 
The UN investigation is deeply troubling, and points to the harsh realities and complexities of aid delivery in a country of weak and predatory institutions and widespread insecurity. But the needs of Somalia’s population will only to increase as its youthful population comes of age in an ever-warmer world.

It is imperative for the international community to recognise the long-term commitment required to stabilise Somalia and build resilience to climate change. But Somalia must also tackle the scourge of corruption that continues to undermine the country’s climate adaptation, those most in need of humanitarian aid, and its relationships with donor institutions. If the delivery of international aid is perpetuating the marginalisation of IDPs and other communities in Somalia, then it must be reevaluated. But, as in Ethiopia, a significant and long-term suspension would hurt the most vulnerable.

The international community must recognise the situation's urgency and commit to long-term engagement with Somalia. It needs sustained international support and cooperation to address both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term climate resilience. Building resilience to climate change and supporting the country are not only moral imperatives but also vital for regional and global security. Somalia's future hangs in the balance, and the world must act now to ensure it is a hopeful one.

The Somali Wire team