"Partners indicate that at least 120,000 people were displaced between September and December, as water prices soar, food becomes increasingly scarce, livestock die, and livelihoods collapse, " OCHA said in the update released on Monday, December 22.

The situation is also disrupting education, with more than 75,000 students having dropped out of school nationwide. OCHA anticipates that the upcoming dry season, spanning January to March, will exacerbate existing drought conditions. 

The agency warned of increased water shortages, further livestock deaths, and rising food insecurity across many regions. 

"Authorities are appealing for urgent assistance to avert a possible collapse of pastoral and farming livelihoods and to prevent avoidable loss of life. They warn that the next four months will be critical, as the next rainy season is not expected until April 2026," the update stated. 

Despite the challenges, OCHA confirmed that the UN and its partners are actively involved in the response. "Support includes assessments, mapping available supply stocks, and coordinating emergency responses across water, food, nutrition, health and shelter sectors." 

Humanitarian teams are also delivering cash assistance, distributing animal fodder, rehabilitating boreholes, and conducting field visits to monitor conditions and prepare for early interventions, according to OCHA. However, these operations are severely limited by ongoing financial constraints. 

Earlier this month, it was reported that over 680 staff members with UN agencies in Somalia had been laid off since the beginning of 2025, following widespread funding shortages that have disrupted various humanitarian and development programs.

In response to the crisis, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher allocated $10 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support immediate needs. OCHA emphasised that "substantially more support is urgently needed."

The Somali NGO Consortium (SNC) also voiced concern over the deteriorating situation.

 “The resources required to save lives are shrinking while communities grow more desperate. Somalia cannot afford to reverse the hard-won progress of recent years,” Nimo Hassan, Director of the Somali NGO Consortium, said in a December 14 press release .

With just days before the end of 2025, officials indicate that the humanitarian response plan for Somalia had received only about $370 million of the $1.4 billion required, representing just one-quarter of the total funding target.

What they said

“The level of hunger and destitution and desperation that was found (is) severe and confirmed the risk of famine in those areas,” said Laurent Bukera, WFP Country Director in Sudan, speaking to reporters in Geneva via video link from Port Sudan. He added, “Supplements for young children and pregnant and nursing mothers are out of reach because of a lack of resources … Without urgent support we will not be able to deliver the food package that the Sudanese need.”

In Port Sudan, field teams delivered food aid and household essentials to internally displaced persons at the “Peace and Happiness Between Two Homes” shelter centre, part of a broader effort to improve living conditions in displacement hubs. Similar aid operations in Gedaref have already reached thousands of families with food packages and shelter support.

Displaced individuals from across the Red Sea, Gedaref, and Kassala states welcomed the aid with gratitude, acknowledging the consistent support provided by the people of Qatar through Qatar Charity since the outbreak of the conflict.

Many recipients noted that the assistance has significantly alleviated their daily hardships and reinforced their ability to endure the ongoing crisis, Qatar News Agency reports.

Around 700 attendees, including farmers and potential re-migrants, met with Guyana Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo at an Open Day at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Guyana’s capital Georgetown. Participants were grouped based on their needs and concerns and had direct discussions with relevant ministers, according to local media Stabroek News . While some issues were not resolved on the spot, attendees were optimistic about receiving follow-up updates within a week. The event was praised as a move towards more responsive governance, providing people with the chance to interact directly with government representatives.

Residents receive land titles

Residents of Soesdyke-Timehri, a village located south of the nation’s capital Georgetown, received land titles marking a step towards formalising land ownership and community development. President Mohamed Irfaan Ali acknowledged the complexities of regularising communities along the Soesdyke Highway and announced additional support for beneficiaries, News Room Guyana reports. “Sometimes people believe this is a very simple exercise, but this is the complexity, and we are confronting this complexity in a way that is people-centred, where we can move you into value and improve your prospect of earning,” President Ali said. According to News Room, the government is dedicated to ensuring legal ownership for squatters, with alternative housing options for those who cannot be regularised. The area's growing potential, including mega tourism projects, has led to an increase in land applications.

First meeting of Guyana-France joint working group

The first meeting of the Guyana-France joint working group was held virtually on May 29, 2024, according to News Room Guyana . The discussions focused on cooperation in areas such as defence, regional security, climate change, food security, infrastructure, technology, and tourism. Both countries agreed to initiate programs in these areas and to meet again in the last quarter of 2024 to evaluate progress. The delegations committed to continued engagement to foster closer relations between Guyana and France.

Seized gold disguised as silver-plated jewellery

The Guyana Revenue Authority seized 240 ounces of gold disguised as silver-plated jewellery from three passengers at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Timehri, two of whom were US nationals and New York bound, Stabroek News reports. The gold, valued at over $560,000, was being smuggled out of Guyana without permits. The passengers were arrested and handed over to the police, with ongoing investigations to determine if they were part of a smuggling ring.

80 graduate from humanitarian mission classes

80 students graduated from Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc.'s classes, including Cake Decoration, Information Technology, Sewing, and Cosmetology, as reported by Stabroek News . A board member at Humanitarian Mission Guyana Inc., Suresh Sugrim expressed pride in the graduates' achievements. “We are immensely proud of our graduating class and all that they have achieved,” Suresh Sugrim said.