The Permanent Observer Mission of the Pan-African Intergovernmental Agency for Water and Sanitation for Africa expresses its profound concern over the ongoing and deepening water crisis affecting the Federal Republic of Somalia and its people.
Access to safe, sufficient, and reliable water is a fundamental human right and an essential foundation for public health, food security, livelihoods, and social stability. The persistent droughts, depletion of water sources, displacement of communities, and heightened vulnerability of women, children, pastoralists, and internally displaced persons represent a severe humanitarian and developmental challenge that demands urgent attention.
PAIWAS recognizes that Somalia’s water crisis is driven by a complex interplay of climate change, recurrent drought cycles, environmental degradation, limited water infrastructure, and prolonged fragility. These factors have intensified water scarcity, undermined agricultural and pastoral systems, and increased the risk of disease and food insecurity.
Similar challenges across the African continent underscore the need for coordinated, long-term, and people-centered solutions. In this regard, PAIWAS expresses its solidarity with the people and Government of Somalia and calls for enhanced international cooperation to address both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term water security. Investments in resilient water infrastructure, sustainable groundwater management, climate-adaptive agriculture, sanitation services, and community-based water governance are critical to breaking the cycle of crisis.
PAIWAS further urges regional and international partners, multilateral institutions, and development agencies to strengthen support for integrated water resources management and climate adaptation initiatives in Somalia. Effective water stewardship can serve as a catalyst for resilience, stability, and sustainable development, even in fragile contexts.
The Permanent Observer Mission reaffirms its commitment to advancing water security and sanitation across Africa and stands ready to engage in dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and technical cooperation in support of Somalia’s efforts to ensure water for life, dignity, and development. Water security is inseparable from human security—and safeguarding it is a shared responsibility of the global community
