International bodies in Somalia
World Health Organization (WHO) in Somalia: what it does
The World Health Organization advises Somalia's federal and state health ministries, supports polio and other vaccination, and helps respond to disease outbreaks and floods. Dr Humphrey Karamagi became WHO Representative in Somalia on 23 August 2026.
What it does
WHO in Somalia is part of WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region office. Its work follows a Country Cooperation Strategy agreed with Somalia for 2021 to 2025 (WHO EMRO). It reports work on essential health services and health security, polio eradication and immunisation, emergency and critical care, and outbreak response (WHO EMRO).
Who leads it
WHO says Dr Humphrey Karamagi took up his duties as WHO Representative in Somalia on 23 August 2026, and that he has more than 25 years of experience in health systems and public health in fragile settings (WHO EMRO). WHO reports that his first mission to a federal member state was to Puntland, focused on its health priorities (WHO EMRO).
The money
OCHA's Financial Tracking Service (FTS) records humanitarian funding that donors and agencies report to it. It is not the whole budget of an organisation, and recent years are still being filled in. FTS lists these amounts received by WHO for work in Somalia (OCHA FTS):
| Year | Humanitarian funding recorded (US$) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 4.2 million |
| 2025 | 4.9 million |
| 2026, to November | 3.1 million |
The same figures for 212 organisations are on this site's aid funding list.
What it reports
On its Somalia pages in 2026, WHO reports:
- that Somalia and health partners agreed priorities to strengthen essential health services and health security;
- that Somalia's Prime Minister pledged stronger oversight and investment in polio eradication and immunisation;
- that WHO and Puntland's Ministry of Health stepped up the emergency response when floods affected 90,000 people in Galkacyo (WHO EMRO).
OCHA reports a rise in vaccine-preventable diseases and cholera linked to drought and displacement, and a high number of "zero-dose" children who have had no vaccines (OCHA Somalia).
How the work is shared
WHO works with the federal Ministry of Health and with state health ministries, including Puntland's and Somaliland's. Health figures it publishes are on this site's health numbers page.
Sources
- WHO EMRO · emro.who.int
- WHO EMRO · emro.who.int
- OCHA FTS · fts.unocha.org
- OCHA Somalia · unocha.org
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Where this matters
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- Every aid organisation funded in Somalia, 2024 to 2026: UN agencies and NGOs by money receivedA directory of every UN agency, international NGO, Somali NGO and other body recorded as receiving humanitarian funding for Somalia in 2024, 2025 and 2026, with the amounts from the UN Financial Tracking Service and a CSV download.
- International bodies in Somalia: the UN, the African Union, the World Bank and the IMFWhich international bodies work in Somalia, what each does, how the UN presence changed in 2024 to 2026, and Somalia's own seats in world bodies.
- UNICEF in Somalia: what it doesWhat UNICEF does in Somalia: its offices, staff and partners, who leads it, the funding it receives, and what it reports about child malnutrition in 2026.
- World Food Programme (WFP) in Somalia: what it doesWhat the World Food Programme does in Somalia: food and cash aid, Baxnaano, school meals, UNHAS flights; who leads it; funding 2024 to 2026; and what it reports about hunger in 2026.
- FAO in Somalia: farming, livestock, fisheries and the FSNAU and SWALIM data unitsWhat FAO does in Somalia: staff, offices and projects, who leads it, funding 2024 to 2026, and what it reports doing in 2026.
- OCHA in Somalia and the Somalia Humanitarian FundWhat OCHA does in Somalia: coordination, the 2026 aid plan, the Somalia Humanitarian Fund, who leads it, and its funding 2024 to 2026.