Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of food and water for the population of Somalia; and what aid the UK (a) is providing in 2022, and (b) intends to provide in each of the years 2023 and 2024.

The crisis in Somalia continues to worsen. Drought is causing significant levels of food insecurity and recent data from Bay region in Somalia projects that famine is likely to occur between October and December. Recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) data from September forecast that 6.7 million people are likely to experience food insecurity over the remainder of 2022, including over 300,000 people in famine-like conditions.

In financial year 2022/23 the UK intends to provide approximately £156 million in humanitarian aid across East Africa. To alleviate the impact of drought and address the risk of famine, since 1 April 2022, the UK has allocated £52.8 million in humanitarian, health and nutrition support to Somalia. This includes £22.8 million which the UK announced at United Nations General Assembly in September.

Decisions on aid allocations for financial years beyond 2022/23 have not yet been made.