GNV News, February 6, 2026

In February 2026, the “Horn of Africa” region, including Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, has been hit by a historic drought. Prolonged lack of rain has caused poor harvests and a drastic decline in crop yields; as of the end of 2025, about 25 million people in these three countries alone are facing the risk of hunger, and the humanitarian crisis is spreading throughout the region. In Kenya in particular, extremely severe dryness said to be the worst in 45 years has been reported.

The damage extends far beyond food shortages. Several consecutive failed rainy seasons have dried up water sources, leaving people with no choice but to consume unsafe water. As a result, for example, waterborne diseases such as cholera, mainly in Somalia, and outbreaks of measles due to weakened immunity have been reported, and the combination of malnutrition and illness among children in particular is causing a serious public health emergency. It has also been reported that large numbers of livestock—an extremely important asset for pastoralists—are dying due to a lack of water and pasture, and the collapse of livelihoods is dealing a devastating blow to the regional economy.

Despite this critical situation, the international response has been slow. “Donor neglect,” in which the attention of countries capable of providing humanitarian assistance is focused on other conflict areas, has been pointed out, and the necessary relief supplies are not sufficiently reaching those on the ground. Weather forecasts indicate signs of rain soon and suggest the possibility of an end to the drought, but there is a strong view that sudden rainfall on parched land could cause flooding and would not lead to an improvement in the situation. In this region, which is heavily affected by climate change, not only short-term food aid but also the rapid building of long-term resilience is urgently needed.

Learn more about climate change and Africa → “The world’s worst drought in unreported East Africa”

Learn more about the current state of climate change → “The reality of exceeding 1.5°C: Global climate change issues, countermeasures, and Japanese media coverage”

Drought conditions spreading around Lake Turkana in northern Kenya (January 16, 2026) (Photo: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC [Public domain])