MOGADISHU, Somalia – The United Kingdom has pledged £6 million ($7.6 million) in new humanitarian aid to Somalia as the Horn of Africa nation faces a deepening drought crisis, marking a high-profile show of support during a visit by Britain’s development minister.
Baroness Jenny Chapman, the UK Minister for International Development and Africa, announced the funding during her first official trip to Somalia. The money is expected to provide emergency assistance to more than 129,000 people in areas hardest hit by drought and food shortages.
Somalia has been grappling with repeated climate shocks, and officials warn that renewed dry conditions threaten already fragile communities.
During her visit to Mogadishu, Chapman met President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at Villa Somalia, where the two discussed the escalating drought risk and its impact on vulnerable families.
The UK minister emphasized what she described as a shift in Britain’s relationship with Somalia — moving from a traditional donor model toward a partnership focused on investment, resilience and long-term stability. British officials say the strategy aims to strengthen Somalia’s ability to withstand climate shocks, boost economic opportunity and reduce factors that can drive instability and irregular migration.
Chapman commended the Somali government’s response to the crisis, noting that more than 500,000 people are already receiving emergency cash support through cooperation between Somali authorities, the UK, the World Bank and the United Nations.
She also highlighted the activation of the African Risk Capacity (ARC) insurance policy, backed by the UK, which triggered $3.4 million in rapid payouts to the Somali government for drought response. Additional funds — more than $2 million — have been released through ARC Replica to humanitarian partners including the World Food Programme and the Start Network.
At a World Food Programme warehouse in Mogadishu, Chapman formally announced the new £6 million package alongside Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama. The funding will focus on areas facing the most acute needs.
But the visit was not only about humanitarian relief.
Chapman also met leaders of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) and the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), thanking them for their work supporting Somalia’s security operations.
She visited a UN air operations facility and met British troops deployed under Operation Tangham, who are helping train and build the capacity of the Somali National Army as it battles the al Qaeda-linked militant group al-Shabaab.
UK officials say the combined humanitarian and security support underscores Britain’s strategic interest in Somalia’s stability — addressing both the immediate threat of famine and the longer-term fight against extremism in a volatile region.
