Mogadishu, February 04, 2026 — The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, today visited the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), where he reviewed ongoing emergency response operations and received a detailed briefing on the worsening drought situation across the country.

During the visit, the President instructed all government institutions to make drought response their top national priority and to redirect the majority of their work and resources toward urgent humanitarian action.

SoDMA response teams briefed the President on the areas most severely affected by the drought, outlining increasing displacement, environmental degradation, and reported loss of life. The briefing warned that the drought has reached an alarming level, with serious concerns that it could escalate into famine if immediate and coordinated interventions are not strengthened.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called on government leaders, Somali business communities, humanitarian organizations, and international partners to unite in supporting drought-affected communities and to intensify life-saving assistance to prevent further humanitarian consequences.

In addition, the President directed the country’s financial institutions to exempt from taxes all relief-related imports, donations, and services entering Somalia for drought response, in order to accelerate the delivery of humanitarian aid to vulnerable populations nationwide.