Somalia in November 2025: Drought Emergency and Security Challenges

November 2025 presented Somalia with a convergence of crises: a severe drought emergency, cascading humanitarian failures, significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and an ongoing battle against militant insurgencies. As millions faced starvation and internal displacement, the fragile state struggled to respond while international aid plummeted. Here are the major stories shaping the nation.

Formal Drought Emergency Declaration

On November 10, the Federal Government of Somalia formally declared a drought emergency and appealed for urgent international assistance as conditions deteriorated across northern, central, and southern regions. This represented an acknowledgment of an acute humanitarian catastrophe unfolding across the nation after four consecutive failed rainy seasons left vast swaths of the country parched and desiccated.

The declaration came as UN assessments found communities grappling with acute water and food shortages. Puntland emerged as one of the worst affected areas, with authorities estimating that nearly one million people need support, including 130,000 in immediate life-threatening need. UN assessment missions to Bari and Nugaal regions found residents warning that catastrophe could unfold in the coming months without urgent intervention.

Humanitarian Aid Collapse

Behind the drought declaration lay a catastrophic collapse in humanitarian assistance. As of November 23, Somalia’s 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan was only 23.7 percent funded, forcing major reductions in assistance. The number of people receiving emergency food aid plunged dramatically from 1.1 million in August to just 350,000 in November—a 68 percent decline in beneficiaries within a matter of months.

The World Food Programme announced aid cuts of 60 percent for the most vulnerable groups, including pregnant women and disabled people. Save the Children warned that emergency food supplies were running out in Somalia alongside Kenya, South Sudan, and Nigeria, raising the specter of mass famine across the region.

Amnesty International Report on Climate Displacement

On November 10, Amnesty International released a damning report titled “No Rain, No Food, No Animals: The Human Rights Impact of Drought and Displacement in Somalia,” documenting how authorities had repeatedly failed to protect drought-affected populations. The organization interviewed 177 people displaced into Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya, along with emergency service providers, humanitarian workers, and government officials.

The report documented how persistent drought since 2022, amplified by human-induced climate change, combined with conflict and marginalization to force thousands from their communities. Food prices rose by up to 160 percent above pre-2020 levels, making food both unavailable and inaccessible for vulnerable populations. Despite declaring drought a national disaster in November 2021, Somalia failed to fulfill human rights obligations by not increasing its health budget to the 15 percent target set in the Abuja Declaration, with health spending remaining below 5 percent of overall government expenditure.

Amnesty emphasized that limited resources and ongoing conflict were not excuses for neglecting international obligations, criticizing Somalia for “folding its hands” when protection mechanisms were desperately needed.

Major Cybersecurity Breach of E-Visa System

On November 16, Somalia’s Immigration and Citizenship Agency confirmed that hackers had breached its electronic visa platform, exposing sensitive personal data of travelers. The admission came after the United States and United Kingdom issued warnings earlier in the week regarding the security compromise.

At least 35,000 people, including thousands of American citizens, may have had their data compromised when unidentified hackers penetrated the system. The breach was particularly embarrassing as Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi had recently praised the electronic visa system, claiming it had successfully prevented ISIS fighters from entering the country during an ongoing military campaign in northern regions.

The UK embassy warned on November 14 that the data breach was ongoing and could expose any personal data entered into the system, urging travelers to “consider the risks before applying for an e-visa.” The government quietly moved its e-visa system to a new website but provided no timeline for investigation completion or compensation for affected individuals.

The breach sparked fury in Somaliland, the breakaway region that declared independence in 1991. Mohamed Hagi, an adviser to Somaliland’s president, called Mogadishu’s administration “institutionally irresponsible” for keeping the visa portal active despite the breach. The incident occurred amid escalating tensions between Somalia and Somaliland over airspace control and the federal government’s attempts to centralize visa procedures despite fragmented authority across autonomous regional states.

Piracy Operations Continue

On November 12, a European Union naval mission took control of an Iranian-flagged dhow that had been used by pirates to attack an oil products tanker off the Somali coast the previous week. The incident underscored the ongoing piracy threat in the Indian Ocean, with Somali waters remaining a hotspot for maritime attacks and hijackings despite years of international naval patrols.

Security Operations Against Militant Groups

U.S. Africa Command intensified operations against terrorist groups in Somalia throughout November. On November 25, U.S. and Somali forces conducted an airstrike targeting ISIS-Somalia in the vicinity of the Golis Mountains, approximately 66 kilometers southeast of Bossaso in the Puntland region. The operation represented part of a broader escalation in counterterrorism activities, with the Trump administration increasing the number of airstrikes carried out against terrorists in Somalia more than tenfold compared to operations under the Biden administration in 2024.

Additional strikes followed, including operations against al-Shabaab on November 28 near Kismayo in southern Somalia. However, human rights organizations documented that AFRICOM had killed civilians in air raids, with the U.S. military refusing to pay condolence payments, according to letters seen by Al Jazeera.

Political Developments: Kingmaker Launches New Bloc

On November 11, Fahad Yasin, described as Somalia’s shadowy power broker and one of the country’s most influential political figures, resurfaced to launch a new political bloc amid 2026 election preparations. The move suggested intensifying political jockeying as Somalia prepared for upcoming elections and high-stakes power struggles between the federal government and regional leaders.

Airport Labor Unrest

Operations at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport were severely disrupted on November 11 after staff staged a strike in protest over dismissals and pay disputes. The labor action highlighted worker grievances at a critical infrastructure facility and reflected broader economic pressures on government employment.

Regional Language Policy

On November 1, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced the adoption of Swahili as important for Somalia’s integration into the East African region. The statement reflected regional diplomatic positioning and cultural alignment with neighboring countries.

Looking Ahead

November 2025 positioned Somalia as a nation in acute crisis across multiple dimensions. With drought affecting millions, humanitarian aid collapsing, cybersecurity vulnerabilities exposed, and militant groups conducting ongoing operations, the state’s capacity to respond remained severely constrained.

The contrast between Mogadishu’s relative economic dynamism—where residents report booming business activity and construction projects—and the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Puntland, rural central regions, and among displaced populations highlights the deep inequality and geographic fragmentation characterizing Somalia’s challenges.

Without substantial increases in international humanitarian funding, resolution of governance fragmentation between the federal government and regional states, and progress in counterinsurgency operations against al-Shabaab and ISIS-Somalia, the coming months threaten mass famine and deepening instability across the Horn of Africa.