Facing Drought: North Western State of Somalia’s Urgent Call for Help

In these challenging times, the government of North Western State of Somalia has declared an urgent humanitarian emergency. The severe drought gripping four critical regions has left millions grasping for basic necessities like food and water. It’s a dire situation that demands our immediate attention and action.

On a recent Wednesday, President Abdirahman Abdillahi Irro issued a heartfelt plea to both international donors and Somalilanders around the globe. His message was clear: support is needed to save lives and maintain livelihoods.

“Communities in coastal regions such as Salal, Saahil, Sanaag, and Awdal are experiencing extreme hardship,” President Irro expressed during a gripping televised address. “The drought has devastated both people and livestock, threatening the very survival of affected families.”

Imagine entire grazing areas turning barren and vital water wells drying up. This is the harsh reality for many pastoralist communities. The scene is grim—livestock, the backbone of rural economy, succumbing in large numbers due to lack of water and pasture.

“Food shortages, thirst, and displacement have already begun,” he continued. Vulnerable groups like women, children, and the elderly are feeling the brunt of this crisis.

In response to this unfolding disaster, President Irro has established a national drought emergency committee. Comprised of governmental figures and religious leaders, the committee is under the capable leadership of Vice President Mohamed Ali Aw Abdi. Their inaugural meeting, held recently, focused on urgent relief coordination and fundraising strategies.

Hussein Adan Igeh Deyr, the government spokesperson, highlighted that this committee’s main goals are resource mobilization and organizing emergency distributions of food, water, and livestock feed to those who need it most.

Particularly hard-hit is the Awdal region. Reports indicate increasing struggles among rural communities to find water for both people and livestock. Dehydration has led to a sharp rise in livestock deaths.

PHOTO: In Awdal region, there has been a marked increase in livestock deaths attributable to extreme dehydration.

A local aid worker, Sakariye Abdi, having just returned from the Awdal region, painted a sobering picture. “If the situation persists for several more weeks, we risk large-scale animal deaths, which will have a devastating impact on already fragile households,” Abdi warned.

It’s a somber thought. How do such tragedies reshape communities? The elderly, women, and children stand to suffer the most severe consequences.

In an inspiring show of solidarity, North Western State of Somalia’s cabinet ministers have pledged to donate one month’s salary to aid drought relief efforts. This speaks volumes, doesn’t it? The government is also reaching out to the North Western State of Somalia diaspora and the private sector, encouraging them to contribute generously.

“We are calling for a unified and compassionate response to save lives,” President Irro urged. “Timely support could prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.”

Yet, as if the stakes weren’t high enough, the United Nations has also raised concerns. They estimate that around 4.4 million people across Somalia and North Western State of Somalia are suffering due to these relentless drought conditions.

The UN has also pointed out a troubling decline in international funding for its 2025 Humanitarian Appeal. Such financial shortages —stemming, in part, from cuts made by the Trump administration— threaten to severely limit necessary humanitarian assistance.

As we ponder these challenges, we must ask ourselves: in the face of such adversity, will our global community respond with the urgency and compassion the situation demands? It is a question that beckons not just reflection, but action.

Edited By Ali Musa, Axadle Times International–Monitoring.