Somalia faces the world’s worst crisis in 2023
- Faced with unprecedented drought and hunger, Somalia tops the IRC’s Emergency Watchlist 2023.
- Decades of conflict have destroyed systems and infrastructure that would have provided a guardrail against the current crisis.
- Nearly 7 million people—2 out of every 5 Somalis—are experiencing severe levels of food insecurity as the country faces an impending famine. Thousands have already lost their lives to starvation.
Country facts
- Total population: 12.3 million
- People displaced by crisis: 17 of every 100
- Rank in 2015 Human Development Index: Not ranked
IRC response
- Started work in Somalia: 1981
- People assisted per year: 280,000
