A senior United Nations official has urged for increased funding to address the deepening crisis in the Horn of Africa and the impending threat of El Nino. Rein Paulsen, director of the Office of Emergencies and Resilience at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), made the call following a fact-finding mission to Sudan. He emphasized that while regional governments have prepared response plans, a severe funding shortfall threatens implementation.
Paulsen stated that the FAO's Sudan emergency and resilience portfolio under its 2026-2028 Emergency Response Plan requires 193 million U.S. dollars, but only 44.1 million dollars has been received so far. He stressed that plans are in place, and actions are being taken, but more financing and support are needed to deliver. The FAO is working to support Sudanese farmers by introducing drought-resistant seed varieties and expanding irrigation to reduce dependence on rain-fed agriculture.
The UN official also highlighted the need to view El Nino in conjunction with ongoing conflicts and rising food prices across the region. To mitigate risks, the FAO and the World Food Program launched a joint anticipatory action plan on June 18, covering 22 priority countries in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The plan seeks 202 million dollars to protect 8.8 million vulnerable people from extreme weather driven by El Nino.
Paulsen emphasized that it is always more expensive to respond to a crisis than to mitigate its impact in advance. He called on governments, humanitarian agencies, and development partners to prioritize monitoring and early action. The World Meteorological Organization has predicted that El Nino is expected to strengthen to a very strong event, peaking towards the end of 2026, with a nearly 100 percent likelihood of persisting through February 2027.
The FAO is actively supporting Sudanese farmers by launching nationwide livestock vaccination campaigns and securing livestock feed and water supplies to build long-term resilience. Paulsen's call for increased funding comes as the Horn of Africa faces a deepening crisis, with El Nino expected to exacerbate existing challenges. The region is already experiencing severe drought and food insecurity, with millions of people affected.
The El Nino anticipatory action appeal aims to protect 8.8 million vulnerable people across 22 high-risk countries from extreme weather driven by El Nino. The FAO and its partners are working to support affected communities, but more funding is needed to implement response plans. Paulsen's visit to Sudan and his call for increased funding highlight the urgent need for action to address the El Nino threat.
The international community has been urged to provide more support to address the El Nino threat in the Horn of Africa. With the crisis deepening and El Nino expected to strengthen, timely action is necessary to mitigate its impact. The FAO and its partners are working to support affected communities, but more funding is needed to implement response plans and protect vulnerable people.
Key points
- UN official Rein Paulsen calls for increased funding to address El Nino threat in Horn of Africa
- FAO requires 193 million U.S. dollars for Sudan emergency and resilience portfolio, but only 44.1 million dollars received so far
- El Nino expected to strengthen to a very strong event, peaking towards the end of 2026, with a nearly 100 percent likelihood of persisting through February 2027