The failure of rains for the third consecutive season has worsened the drought in southern and eastern Ethiopia. This has led to severe food shortages and malnutrition affecting millions, particularly in vulnerable areas like Borena and Somali regions. International support is urgently needed to avert a humanitarian catastrophe.
The drought has reached critical levels in southern and eastern Ethiopia, as well as in neighboring Somali and Borena areas. The complete failure of rains expected from October to January 2025 has plunged millions into severe food shortages and malnutrition. While central and northern regions benefited from good Meher rains, the Deyr/Hagaya season's shortfall in the south has devastated pastoralists reliant on livestock.
In Somali region's southern and eastern zones, along with Borena and Bale, rainfall deficits persist for the second and third consecutive seasons. Amounts here are 70% below average—the lowest recorded since 1973. Particularly in eastern Harerge's Qolama areas, IPC Phase 4 food insecurity could emerge by early 2026.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), up to 95% of pasturelands in the Mandera Triangle spanning Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia have dried up. Elevated temperatures exacerbating the rain shortage have degraded soil, withered trees, and rendered water and forage inaccessible for livestock. This has triggered animal deaths and halted milk production, severely impacting over 2.5 million children with acute malnutrition.
Water and pasture scarcity has spurred widespread displacement, with more than 55,800 refugees from Somalia entering Ethiopia's Gashamo and Bok border areas. Women and children face heightened risks of physical violence and school interruptions during long treks for water. The latest IPC report urges global intervention to prevent the 2026 drought from escalating into a humanitarian disaster, noting that only 24% of required aid funding has been secured so far.