Geneva\/Mogadishu,\u00a024\u00a0April\u00a02026\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Nearly 62,000\u00a0people have been displaced by drought across five districts in Somalia since the beginning of the year. Data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) shows that\u00a0drought\u00a0now\u00a0accounts\u00a0for three out of every four new displacements,\u00a0a 22 per cent increase from last year that underscores the growing severity of climate shocks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even if the Gu rainy season (April\u2013June) brings normal to above-normal rainfall,\u00a0nearly 125,000 more\u00a0people<\/a>\u00a0are projected to be displaced by drought in the second quarter of 2026, according to\u00a0IOM\u2019s\u00a0Displacement Tracking Matrix.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDrought is already forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes, and many more could be displaced in the months ahead,\u201d said Manuel Pereira, Chief of Mission for IOM Somalia. \u201cWhen water disappears, crops fail and livelihoods collapse, displacement becomes a last resort. Without swift action, drought will continue to uproot communities, deepen\u00a0hunger\u00a0and increase vulnerability across Somalia, particularly for the most vulnerable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Baidoa,\u00a0Dayniile, Kahda,\u00a0Diinsoor\u00a0and\u00a0Doolow\u00a0districts are among the hardest hit, as worsening drought conditions drive crop failure and the collapse of livelihoods, deepening hunger and placing increasing pressure on already limited infrastructure.\u00a0<\/p>\n This surge in climate-driven displacement follows below-average rainfall during the 2025\u00a0Deyr\u00a0season, compounded by an unusually harsh\u00a0Jilaal\u00a0dry period. Water sources have been depleted, grazing conditions have deteriorated, and agricultural production has been severely reduced across parts of the country, forcing thousands to leave their homes in search of water,\u00a0food\u00a0and\u00a0assistance.\u00a0<\/p>\n IOM\u2019s\u00a0DTM\u00a0projections<\/a>\u00a0indicate\u00a0that drought-related mobility, particularly among pastoral and farming communities, is expected to increase further in the coming months if rainfall conditions do not improve.\u00a0This raises\u00a0concerns that displacement pressures may intensify across already vulnerable regions as displaced households move toward towns and cities where they hope to access\u00a0assistance\u00a0or basic services.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, these urban centres\u00a0are not capable of rapidly\u00a0absorbing\u00a0sudden population growth, leaving many newly displaced families to settle in informal or underserved areas where access to basic services\u00a0and\u00a0infrastructure\u00a0remains\u00a0extremely limited.\u00a0<\/p>\n Findings from a recent IOM pilot assessment on pastoral mobility in the Gedo region highlight that many households reported travelling long distances to reach water points, while livestock losses linked to drought and extreme heat were widely reported during the monitoring period.\u00a0When livestock herds decline, households lose their primary source of income,\u00a0food\u00a0and resilience against future shocks.\u00a0<\/p>\n Through the Rapid Support Mechanism, IOM and its partners\u00a0are able to\u00a0respond quickly to\u00a0emerging\u00a0shocks and provide life-saving support to newly displaced families, including emergency shelter, water, non-food\u00a0items\u00a0and essential\u00a0assistance.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Yet the scale and pace of drought-driven displacement and food insecurity are rapidly outstripping available resources. In displacement sites and informal settlements, families face overcrowded conditions, limited access to safe water and sanitation, and inadequate shelter, compounding already severe humanitarian needs.\u00a0<\/p>\n With drought expected to persist,\u00a0IOM is\u00a0calling for urgent and sustained support<\/a>\u00a0to address the growing impacts.\u00a0Scaling\u00a0up life-saving humanitarian\u00a0assistance\u00a0remains\u00a0critical, alongside stronger investment in water infrastructure, drought resilience and climate-resilient livelihoods that help communities withstand future shocks.\u00a0<\/p>\n