Caritas Somalia concerned over escalating violence and deepening of Hunger Crisis
(Mogadishu, 29 March 2026) Caritas Somalia joins the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in raising alarm over the escalating violence in South West State, which has displaced around 45,000 people and forced thousands of families into areas with limited access to basic services and humanitarian aid.
This escalation comes as Somalia faces one of its most severe and complex hunger crises, caused by prolonged drought, conflict, mass displacement and critically underfunded humanitarian assistance. This situation is further impacted by the ongoing Middle East crisis. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, 6.5 million people are now experiencing crisis-level hunger or worse. Of these, 2 million are in emergency conditions, and more than 1.8 million children under five are expected to face acute malnutrition in 2026.
Women, children, and the elderly, already hard hit, are bearing the brunt of this worsening crisis. As Mons. Jamal Daibes, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Mogadishu, stated: “The recent outbreak of violence in South West State seriously threatens to further worsen the humanitarian situation by restricting humanitarian access, increasing civilian casualties and accelerating displacement. The population of Somalia deserves a better life. We must act now to protect those who suffer the most, especially women and children. Let us not forget our brothers and sisters in the Horn of Africa.”
Statement by the CINGO Working Group on Migration, Refugees and Human Trafficking
On 16 February, during the 61st session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the CINGO Working Group on Migration, Refugees and Human Trafficking delivered a joint statement at the Intersessional Panel Discussion on the Human Rights of Migrants.
The statement expresses deep concern over widespread human rights violations against migrants and refugees, strongly condemning policies and rhetoric that criminalize solidarity, normalize hate, and scapegoat migrants for political purposes. It also highlights serious risks linked to the externalization of borders, including arbitrary detention, collective expulsions, family separation, and exposure to violence and exploitation.
Inspired by the words of Pope Leo XIV, the statement reaffirms that every migrant is a person with inalienable rights that must be respected in all circumstances. It calls on governments to strengthen accountability mechanisms, combat xenophobia, and uphold their commitments under international human rights frameworks, including the Global Compact for Migration.
The CINGO Working Group emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder dialogue spaces as essential platforms for advancing solutions that protect human dignity and fundamental rights.
Joint Declaration on the occasion of the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, as part of the Jubilee of Migrants and the Missionary World, 4-5 October 2025
In this Jubilee Year, as we celebrate the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, we recall the words of Pope Leo XIV from his Message: migrants are missionaries of hope and peace, called to build bridges and renew our communities through their courage and faith.
In this journey, the Church’s responsibility is clear: We are called not only to welcome refugees and migrants, but also to walk with them, seeing them as missionaries of peace and living members of our communities.
The Jubilee of Migrants and the Missions is a time of pastoral and social conversion, an opportunity to renew our commitment to a synodal Church that walks with migrants, recognizes their dignity and supports their unique contribution to building a more just and fraternal world.
It is important to highlight the specific contribution of young migrants and refugees, bearers of creativity and hope, and to recognize the potential of migrants as actors in inter-religious and intercultural dialogue, capable of building more open and cohesive societies.
