Key messages

• In June 2026, over 54.4 million people in 10 of the 13 countries covered by the FSNWG were estimated to be highly food insecure (IPC1 Phase 3 or above) and in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Of these, close to 24.3 million were in six IGAD member states. These figures should, however, be interpreted with caution due to the significantly reduced geographic coverage of Sudan in the latest IPC analysis in comparison to past analyses.
• Nutrition outcomes across the region remained concerning, reflecting constrained access to food, inadequate infant and young child feeding practices, and limited health and nutrition services. Of particular concern are areas of Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan classified in a Critical (IPC AMN phase 4) or Extremely Critical (IPC AMN phase 5) acute malnutrition situation.
• El Niño conditions are present and are expected to strengthen through the end of 2026 and persist until at least early 2027. The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is also expected to shift towards a positive phase in the coming months and strengthen alongside El Niño, which could intensify wetter than usual conditions and flooding in the eastern parts of the region during the October-December rainfall season.
• Ebola transmission continued in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, with a total of 1,812 confirmed cases (1,792 in DRC and 20 in Uganda) as of mid-July.