Nearly half of children aged under five in Somalia could face acute malnutrition by July 2026 due to a convergence of crises, leaving aid agencies struggling to cope as funding cuts reduce health and nutrition services, Save the Children said.

Flash flooding, below-average rainfall, high food prices, and ongoing conflict have combined to drive hunger levels up 30% across Somalia, with the south worst hit, according to new figures from global hunger monitor, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) .

The figures reveal that 4.4 million people, or just under a quarter of the population, are now expected to experience high levels of acute food insecurity by the end of 2025.

This includes over 921,000 people facing emergency levels of food insecurity or Phase 4, the second highest IPC level when urgent action is needed to save lives and livelihoods.