As 2026 unfolds, Somalia remains at the epicenter of one of the world’s most complex humanitarian and migration crises. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is operating on multiple fronts—from tracking displacement patterns and delivering emergency aid to building long-term climate resilience and shaping national migration policy. This report synthesizes the latest IOM Somalia news and operational updates, providing a comprehensive overview of the agency’s work in a country where drought, conflict, and mobility intersect.
1. The Drought Emergency Deepens
The year began with alarming projections that have since materialized into a full-blown humanitarian crisis. Following one of the driest October-December rainy seasons on record—driven by La Niña conditions—the drought emergency in Somalia has significantly deepened. As of January 2026, an estimated 4.61 million people had been affected by prolonged dry conditions across the country .
The timing of this crisis is particularly devastating. With the next rains not expected until April 2026, the extended dry season has worsened water scarcity and driven higher livestock mortality, intensifying food insecurity. Emergency (IPC Phase 4) food security outcomes are now expected in the areas hardest hit by the drought, and malnutrition rates are rising .
IOM’s latest multi-hazard displacement projections paint a stark picture. Across the country, over 211,000 individuals were projected to be displaced between December 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026—with the majority (64%) driven by drought .
The crisis is unfolding amid critical funding shortages. By the end of December 2025, the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan had received only 26% of required funding, forcing agencies to scale back assistance despite rapidly rising needs .
2. Q2 2026 Displacement Projections
Looking ahead to the second quarter of 2026 (April to June), IOM Somalia’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), in collaboration with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), has released updated movement projections .
While the Gu 2026 seasonal outlook indicates normal to above-normal rainfall, conditions across Somalia are expected to remain highly variable, with an elevated risk of dry spells and uneven rainfall distribution. These conditions are unlikely to offset cumulative drought impacts from previous seasons, prompting continued displacement.
The Gu 2026 season should therefore be viewed as a period of stabilization rather than recovery—a crucial distinction for humanitarian planners. This underscores the need for sustained drought response and close monitoring of mobility trends .
The DTM dashboard tracks displacement triggers including drought, flooding, and conflict, each of which has a different effect on population movements. This data-driven approach enables targeted interventions in the most vulnerable areas.
3. Crisis Response Plan 2025-2026: $132 Million Required
IOM has launched its Somalia Crisis Response Plan for 2025-2026, requiring $132,293,248 to reach 2,112,853 people out of 4.8 million in need across 382 targeted entities .
The plan is structured around three strategic pillars:
Saving Lives and Protecting People on the Move ($51 million): This pillar focuses on providing rapid, coordinated humanitarian assistance across shelter and non-food items (SNFI), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), protection, and camp coordination and management (CCCM). IOM deploys mobile teams and its Rapid Response Mechanism to reach hard-to-access areas, with a protection-centered approach safeguarding those most at risk .
Driving Solutions to Displacement ($69.5 million): The largest funding request targets durable solutions for internally displaced persons (IDPs). IOM supports local NGOs and government entities to enable voluntary, safe, and dignified return where conditions allow. Urban resilience programming helps integrate displaced persons while rebuilding trust between communities and government. Housing, land, and property (HLP) interventions help displaced people reclaim rights and reduce eviction risks .
Facilitating Pathways for Regular Migration ($11.7 million): This pillar focuses on enhancing safe, orderly, and regular migration by strengthening government capacity through the National Coordination Mechanism on Migration (NCM). Policy support includes drafting national migration and diaspora policies and mainstreaming migrants into sector strategies .
4. EU-Funded FLASH Project Launched
In March 2026, IOM and UNHCR launched two European Union-funded projects aimed at contributing to the sustainable reintegration of refugees and internally displaced persons in Somalia .
IOM’s project, titled “Facilitating a Sustainable Return through Laying the Foundation for Somalia in the Horn of Africa (FLASH)” , is based in Kismayo and funded with €5 million over two years.
The FLASH project will enhance government capacity to provide immediate assistance to returnees and establish an Inter-ministerial High-Level Task Force for Migration Management. The task force will focus on migration issues and the development of a Migration Governance Framework for Somalia.
Funds will also improve data collection, monitoring, and planning of population movements through border management assessments, mobile immigration units, and data collection on returns and reintegration.
The context is urgent. An average of more than 25,000 Somalis return to Somalia annually, particularly from Saudi Arabia and Yemen. As IOM Somalia Chief of Mission Gerard Waite noted: “The contribution of the European Union comes at a significant moment as Somalia faces critical challenges, including a drought situation that has left 6.2 million people in dire need of humanitarian assistance” .
5. Kismayo Water Pipeline: Nearing Completion
Infrastructure development remains a critical component of IOM’s resilience-building strategy. In February 2026, Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam received IOM Representative to Somalia Manuel Marques Pereira for talks focused on the ongoing drought situation and the need for enhanced international support .
A key agenda item was the Kismayo Water Pipeline Project, now in its final stages of completion. The project aims to supply Kismayo town with water drawn from the Juba River through the Yontoy area—a major infrastructure initiative that will significantly improve water access for hundreds of thousands of residents .
For a region suffering from severe water scarcity and drought-induced displacement, this project represents a tangible investment in long-term resilience.
6. DARIS WACAN: Cross-Border Climate Resilience
On February 9-10, 2026, senior officials from IOM, IGAD, the European Union, and the governments of Kenya and Somalia convened in Nairobi for the High-Level Steering Committee Meeting of the DARIS WACAN project—meaning “good neighbours” in Somali .
Funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by IOM and IGAD, this three-year initiative supports communities affected by recurrent droughts, water scarcity, poor infrastructure, and limited economic opportunities in Mandera County, Kenya, and the Gedo Region of Somalia .
The project aims to:
- Enhance climate-adaptive water management
- Strengthen climate-resilient livelihoods
- Expand community infrastructure (including feeder roads)
- Promote peaceful cross-border cooperation
As IOM Deputy Regional Director Oleg Naumov stated: “Communities along the Kenya–Somalia border are facing pressures that transcend borders—including climate shocks, resource scarcity, and increasing vulnerabilities that no country can tackle alone. DARIS WACAN embodies the kind of collective, practical cooperation needed to turn shared challenges into shared resilience” .
Now in its second year of implementation, partners have assessed achievements to date, reviewed implementation risks, and agreed on priority actions for the upcoming phase.
7. Regional Migrant Response Plan: $32 Million Appeal
Beyond Somalia’s borders, IOM has launched an appeal towards the Regional Migrant Response Plan for the Horn of Africa to Yemen and Southern Africa 2026, requiring $32,112,000 to reach 478,152 people out of 1,352,987 in need across Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, and Yemen .
The Eastern Route—from the Horn of Africa to Yemen and Gulf states—remains one of the world’s deadliest and most perilous migration corridors. Thousands of people from Ethiopia and Somalia risk their lives annually to travel in search of employment and safety, with many experiencing detention, abuse, violence, and hunger .
In 2026, IOM will prioritize addressing the root causes of irregular migration along the Eastern and Southern Routes, focusing on economic hardship, climate change, and conflict. Planned interventions include community-based reintegration support for returning migrants, vocational training, and livelihoods assistance to promote economic self-reliance .
Awareness campaigns will inform communities about the risks associated with irregular migration, legal migration pathways, and available support services. Without adequate funding, shelters may close, putting migrants in danger and depriving them of critical medical care .
8. Fair Recruitment and Labour Migration Governance
Strengthening migration governance remains a priority for IOM Somalia. In February 2026, Somalia launched workshops to advance labour migration policy and regulate private employment agencies—a critical step toward protecting migrant workers from exploitation .
These efforts build on the adoption of a National Labour Migration Policy and a Private Employment Agencies Regulation in July and August 2025. The frameworks aim to protect workers and ensure fair recruitment practices, addressing long-standing vulnerabilities in Somalia’s labour migration system.
IOM continues to support reintegration research in Somalia, including comparative studies on reintegration outcomes between forced and voluntary returns, with a gender perspective .
9. Durable Solutions: Grible as a Model
Amid the crisis, there are stories of transformation. The Saameynta Programme—jointly implemented by IOM, UNDP, and UN Habitat—is demonstrating what integrated, durable solutions look like in practice.
At Grible, just outside Bossaso, what started as a relocation project has become a model for integrated approaches to displacement. An integrated approach goes beyond emergency assistance to ensure displaced people have:
- Secure land tenure protecting them from eviction
- Access to essential services (health, water, education)
- Opportunities to rebuild livelihoods and economic independence
- Initiatives fostering social cohesion with host communities
Faiza Hashim Ali, who relocated with her family from a displacement site to Grible, described the transition as life-changing: “Before moving to Grible, life was so difficult. We lived in a hut. When it rained, we paid too much for water and didn’t even have showers. It felt like we were displaced people in our own country” .
Today, Faiza and her family live in a durable home with a veranda and proper sanitation. Each of the 61 newly constructed houses in Grible comes with a land deed—offering something many displaced families have never had: legal recognition of ownership and protection from being displaced once again. “This is not just shelter,” Faiza said. “It is a completely new life” .
Conclusion
IOM Somalia’s work in 2026 spans the full spectrum of migration and displacement challenges—from emergency drought response and displacement tracking to infrastructure development, cross-border resilience, labour migration governance, and durable solutions.
The agency’s Crisis Response Plan requires over $132 million, yet funding remains critically short. The drought has affected 4.6 million people, displacement continues, and over 25,000 Somalis return annually to a country struggling to receive them.
Yet there are reasons for cautious optimism. The FLASH project is strengthening government migration management capacity. The Kismayo Water Pipeline is nearing completion. DARIS WACAN is building cross-border resilience. And at Grible, families who once felt like “displaced people in their own country” are finding home.
As the Gu 2026 season approaches, the message from IOM is clear: this should be viewed as a period of stabilization, not recovery. Sustained support—financial and political—will determine whether Somalia’s displaced populations can transition from survival to sustainable solutions.
