Pope Leo XIV Raises Alarm Over Somalia as Aid Funding Falls

Pope Leo XIV appealed for international aid during the Angelus prayer to address a deepening humanitarian crisis in Somalia. He expressed concern that violence and extreme weather are worsening living conditions for the population, especially women and children.

The Pope's appeal follows reports that the World Food Programme reduced its emergency food assistance from serving more than 2 million people to just over 600,000. In Somalia, approximately 6 million people, or one in three residents, face critical hunger levels. Additionally, about 1.9 million children under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition.

The crisis is compounded by below-average rainfall and insecurity, which prevents people from reaching markets, essential services, and humanitarian aid. During the same address, the Pope also spoke about remembering the victims of World War II to help prevent similar mistakes in the future.