Thousands of internally displaced Somalis are facing unprecedented humanitarian crisis as many endure the scorching heat in makeshift camps, uncertain of their next meal, or medical assistance. Their plight has worsened following U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order to freeze most foreign aid, a decision that threatens the already fragile humanitarian aid system on which millions depend.
Trump’s directive, set to last 90 days from its January 20 implementation, risks collapsing the foreign aid economy that sustains some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. The United States, the world’s largest foreign aid donor, allocated around $60 billion in 2023—roughly 1% of its national budget.
Somalia, a nation in the Horn of Africa battling an Islamist insurgency, relies almost entirely on foreign aid to support its 3 million internally displaced people, according to the UN refugee agency. Compounded by recurrent droughts and severe food insecurity, the withdrawal of aid could spell disaster for millions.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a key contributor, disbursed $369 million in Somalia in 2021. This funding supported essential services, including emergency nutrition, sanitation programs, and healthcare, through both governmental and non-governmental partners.
Ayan Ali Hussein, chairwoman of the Dooxdoox IDP camp on Mogadishu’s outskirts, revealed that Trump’s decision triggered immediate stop-work orders to USAID partners, abruptly halting basic services. Suddenly, “there are no facilities to treat malnourished children,” Hussein lamented.
“Women who had experienced gender-based violence once had access to care, counseling, protection, medication, financial support, and clothing, none of which are available anymore.”
Her camp, which manages eight sites housing nearly 8,000 displaced households, now struggles to provide even the most basic necessities. “Lack of plastic sheets for temporary shelter is a major concern,” Hussein added.
Among those hit hardest is Ruqiya Abdulle Ubeyd, an 85-year-old mother of eight. She expressed her dismay at the funding freeze, pleading for Washington to reconsider. “The U.S. government should restore the aid it used to give to vulnerable people,” she urged.
The disruption has also raised alarms for individuals requiring urgent medical care, including those living with HIV. The impact has been particularly devastating for organizations like the Somali Young Doctors Association (SOYDA), a critical provider of healthcare in Somalia’s displacement camps.
Medical Services Disrupted, Thousands at Risk
Dr. Abdiqani Sheikh Omar, SOYDA’s founder and a former top official in Somalia’s health ministry, said the sudden freeze in funding has destabilized essential health programs.
In 2025, Somalia was expected to receive $125 million in USAID funding for humanitarian efforts. However, this amount could now be rendered “null and void,” forcing organizations like SOYDA to cut back on critical programs.
To mitigate the crisis, SOYDA has shifted its focus to prioritizing nutrition and hygiene services. But even these emergency adjustments may not be enough. The loss of funding has forced the organization to scale back staff, with many employees now facing unemployment. “We are engaging our volunteer health professionals to cover this emergency staff funding gap through part-time shifts,” Dr. Omar explained.
SOYDA also provided essential medication for people who could not afford treatment. Now, families are left without alternatives.
“Previously, whenever our children got sick, we would come straight to the SOYDA center for help,” said Hussein Abikar, a father of five living in the camp. “There is no other place where we could find such support.”
With humanitarian operations grinding to a halt, Somalia faces a deepening crisis. The coming months will determine whether the international community can intervene to prevent further suffering or if Trump’s policy will push the nation into an even more dire humanitarian emergency.
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