By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter
Ethiopia, 25 October 2025 – The President of the Somali Regional State, Mustafe Muhummed Omar, convened a high-level emergency committee on Monday to address worsening drought conditions, particularly in Fafan Zone and border areas adjacent to Somalia and Kenya.
The meeting, attended by regional authorities and humanitarian partners, focused on accelerating preparedness and operational response.
Minister of Disaster Risk Management, Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ibrahim, noted: “The previous rainy season performed very poorly, and now the current Deyr rains have also failed after two consecutive poor seasons. This has affected the entire region.”
He highlighted severe water shortages in Fafan and border districts, which have triggered population movements, further increasing pressure on scarce water resources.
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According to an OCHA report, a Multi-Cluster Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA) conducted between 26–31 August 2025 found nearly total crop failure, with only 249,781 quintals harvested from an expected 9.5 million, representing a 94 per cent loss. Livestock suffered heavily, with 9,708 animals dead and over 266,000 migrating, including cross-border movements from Somaliland. The crisis has displaced approximately 1,195 households (7,170 people) within the zone.
Water access is critically low (5–31 per cent), sanitation is poor, and health services face shortages of medicines and staff, while acute malnutrition is rising among children and pregnant or lactating women. Education is also disrupted, with damaged schools and thousands of children out of class.
Officials stressed the need for coordinated emergency food, water, nutrition, and livestock support, alongside vaccination campaigns, restoration of health and education services, and community awareness programs to mitigate further humanitarian impacts.
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