by MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – MILLIONS of people require humanitarian assistance in Southern Africa as the region battles climate change, major disease outbreaks and conflict.
Funding cuts are impacting on the response by aid agencies, exacerbating the humanitarian crises.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is concerned.
Southern Africa continues to grapple with the impacts of the 2024 El Niño-induced drought—the worst in a century—which devastated harvests and livelihoods.
Destructive cyclones and heavy rains in early 2025, compounded the humanitarian situation, causing severe flooding in countries including Botswana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa.
More than 23 million people require humanitarian assistance.
“The crisis is intensified by protracted conflict, displacement, disease outbreaks and weak social protection systems,” OCHA lamented.
Meanwhile, acute food insecurity persists despite improved harvests in some areas, as locust and fall armyworm infestations continue to devastate crops and deepen the crisis.
Although the number of people in emergency conditions has decreased from about 44 million in March, nearly 26 million people across 11 countries are still forecast to face high levels of severe food insecurity as of August, with over 500 000 children pushed into acute malnutrition.
Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) cases have continued to rise compared to the same period last year, mainly in Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Madagascar, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In addition, Southern Africa is enduring disease outbreaks, including cholera, malaria, mpox and measles.
As of August, more than 37 000 cholera cases have been reported across seven countries. Angola accounts for over 27 000 cases.
This as climate-induced disasters, including prolonged droughts and devastating floods, have drastically limited access to safe drinking water, while overstretched and fragile health systems are struggling to cope.
There is also a displacement crisis, with an estimated 1,1 million people internally displaced.
In May 2025, a surge in conflict in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province forced over 95 000 people from their homes.
Mozambique hosts around 609 000 internally displaced people. This is the highest number in the region.
Southern Africa is home to around 693 000 refugees and asylum seekers.
Humanitarian partners have been forced to scale back or reduce the number of people they can assist due to funding cuts.
The UN Central Emergency Response Fund allocated US$1,8 million for cholera response in Angola in May and $4 million for urgent support to people displaced in Mozambique in August.
On Tuesday, President Hakainde Hichilema launched the Africa Continental Cholera outbreak response plan to respond to cholera outbreaks on the continent.
“The launch marks a turning point in Africa’s fight against the disease that has robbed communities of health, dignity and opportunities,” he said in Lusaka at the 75th World Health Organisation Regional Committee for Africa.
– CAJ News