Severe Funding Cuts Hamper Aid for 4.6 Million Drought Victims in Somalia
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that
significant reductions in humanitarian aid budgets are impeding efforts to help
millions of Somalis impacted by drought. The crisis has affected more than 4.6
million people, approximately one-quarter of the population, displacing at least
120,000 individuals between September and December as water prices increased,
food supplies diminished, and livestock perished. Over 75,000 students have
abandoned their education. OCHA has cautioned that the coming dry season,
spanning January to March, may intensify conditions, leading to greater water
scarcity, additional livestock losses, and heightened food insecurity.
Authorities are appealing for immediate aid to stop further economic collapse
and prevent unnecessary deaths. Humanitarian organizations offer financial
support, animal feed, well rehabilitation, and emergency relief, but they are
constrained by insufficient funding. While the UN’s Central Emergency Response
Fund recently allocated $10 million, only around $370 million of the $1.4
billion Somalia response plan for 2025 has been secured.

OCHA Warns Sudan Conflict Has Reached ‘Catastrophic Levels’ at 1,000-Day Mark
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs informed the Security
Council that Sudan’s war, nearing 1,000 days, had reached catastrophic levels,
with civilians experiencing an escalating toll amid widespread violence,
displacement, and restrictions on humanitarian access. Representing the Emergency
Relief Coordinator, OCHA reported that Kordofan states had become a new epicenter
of suffering, with drone strikes, sieges and attacks on hospitals, UN facilities
and aid convoys killing numerous civilians, including women and children.
Darfur continued in crisis, with reports of mass killings, sexual violence,
attacks on displacement camps, and repeated assaults on healthcare facilities,
while humanitarian workers struggled to address growing needs despite emergency
funding. OCHA noted that drone warfare had spread the conflict to additional
regions, damaging vital infrastructure and worsening food insecurity and
cross-border displacement. Although 16.8 million people had received some form
of humanitarian assistance this year, the response operation faced extreme
pressure and direct attacks, renewing demands for enhanced civilian protection,
assured humanitarian access, consistent funding, and immediate international
efforts to de-escalate the conflict and advocate for a nationwide ceasefire.

Two Terrorism Suspects Apprehended in Nigeria
Two alleged members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were taken
into custody in Lagos State on 21 December when State Security Services operatives
detained them in Apapa based on intelligence indicating they had escaped the
conflict-ridden North-east region. Security sources identified the suspects as
Modu Gana and Ibrahim Dugge, who were arrested on Sunday morning and were being
questioned, though their purpose in Lagos remained unknown and there were no
immediate signs of an impending attack. The SSS refused to publicly confirm the
arrests, citing its confidential media policy, while analysts observed that ISWAP
had been attempting to extend its activities beyond the North-east. The arrests
occurred during Nigeria’s extended insurgency, which has persisted for over 15
years and spread beyond Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, as authorities
reported increased military operations that have eliminated thousands of
insurgents and resulted in numerous surrenders in recent years.

Kenya Repatriates 119 Citizens from Myanmar Scam Camps
The Kenyan government announced it had successfully returned 119 citizens rescued
from illicit online scam compounds in Myanmar, following coordinated operations
by Myanmar authorities and rebel groups in Karen State near the Thai border. The
Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs reported that the raids dismantled
criminal organizations operating sophisticated fraud centers that recruited
workers, including Kenyans, through deceptive job advertisements, leaving
hundreds of foreign nationals stranded following violent confrontations. The
government implemented urgent measures through its diplomatic missions,
including issuing travel documents, coordinating with Thai authorities,
providing transportation funding, and communicating with families, while
returnees were interviewed by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to
assist investigations into transnational crime networks. Officials stated that
198 Kenyans remained stranded in Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia, with
repatriation efforts delayed by holiday-related border closures, and cautioned
citizens about deceptive overseas job opportunities amid growing threats from
organized criminal networks.

Ghana Rejects ‘Detty December’ Label for Festive Season
Ghana’s diaspora affairs official, Kofi Okyere-Darko, stated that the term carries
negative implications and should not be connected with Ghana. Okyere-Darko
explained that the government prefers not to associate the country with this
label. He noted that while young people favor the popular expression, official
promotional materials avoid it despite the significant economic advantages of
the festive season, which attracted more than 125,000 international visitors
last December, many from the diaspora. Okyere-Darko mentioned that Ghana’s
appeal existed before this label and welcomed suggestions to rebrand the season
in ways that still connect with younger generations. The phrase ‘Detty December’
became popular approximately eight years ago when Nigerian musician Mr Eazi
introduced his Detty Rave festival in Accra. Ghana has been positioning itself
as a destination for individuals from across Africa and the diaspora in recent
years. In 2019, the government initiated the Year of Return project – an effort
aimed at encouraging people of African descent to invest in the nation.