Somalia, 8 November 2025 — Puntland will hold an emergency meeting next week to address the severe drought currently affecting nearly one million people across all regions of the state, Deputy President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor has announced.
The meeting, scheduled for Monday at the State House, will bring together government ministries, humanitarian agencies, and international partners to plan a coordinated and urgent response aimed at saving lives and mitigating the impact of the crisis.
“This drought has affected all regions of Puntland, with almost one million people facing food and water shortages,” said Deputy President Lugatoor. “I call on all humanitarian organizations and partners to respond swiftly to the needs of those impacted.”
According to data shared by the Deputy President on Saturday, the drought — triggered by four consecutive failed rainy seasons — has caused widespread food insecurity, water shortages, and displacement across the regions of Mudug, Nugaal, Sool, Ayn, Sanaag, Haylan, Bari, Karkaar, and Ra'as Aseir.
An estimated 940,000 people are facing acute food and water shortages, including 310,000 children under five suffering from malnutrition. Additionally, around 50,000 newly displaced people have migrated to urban areas in search of humanitarian assistance.
“There are now 940,000 people facing critical food and water shortages, including 130,000 in severe emergency conditions requiring immediate intervention,” Lugatoor added.
