Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has called for the early release of disaster preparedness funds and easier access to international climate financing, saying Somalia needs an estimated $6.3 billion to adapt to climate change through 2035.
Addressing world leaders at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey, on Wednesday, Hassan Sheikh urged wealthy countries to fulfill their climate commitments and provide greater support to nations facing severe droughts, floods and other climate-related disasters.
“Somalia contributes only a small share of global greenhouse gas emissions but remains among the countries most vulnerable to the consequences of climate change,” the president said.
He called on countries historically responsible for the largest share of emissions to take greater responsibility for financing efforts to reduce climate risks and protect vulnerable populations.
Hassan Sheikh emphasized the importance of making disaster preparedness funds available as soon as weather forecasts indicate an approaching emergency, rather than waiting until communities have already suffered losses. He argued that early financing would enable vulnerable countries to prepare for disasters, protect livelihoods and reduce the humanitarian and economic damage caused by extreme weather.
The president also called for climate financing to be provided primarily through grants rather than loans, warning that additional debt could place further pressure on countries already struggling with limited financial resources.
“I urge international financial institutions and climate funds to simplify their application procedures and establish eligibility criteria that reflect countries’ exposure to climate hazards,” he added.
Hassan Sheikh estimated that Somalia would require approximately $6.3 billion through 2035 to finance climate adaptation measures, including efforts to strengthen resilience against droughts and floods.
Somalia has experienced repeated climate-related emergencies in recent years, with prolonged droughts and severe flooding damaging farmland, killing livestock, displacing communities and worsening food insecurity. The country’s dependence on rain-fed agriculture and livestock production makes rural households particularly vulnerable to changing rainfall patterns and extreme weather.
For Somalia, access to predictable climate financing is considered essential to expanding early warning systems, improving water management, protecting agricultural livelihoods and strengthening disaster preparedness.
The president’s appeal comes as climate finance remains a central and contentious issue at COP31, where developing nations have repeatedly pressed wealthier countries to deliver on pledges made at previous conferences. Many vulnerable states argue that current financing mechanisms are too slow, too bureaucratic and too heavily weighted toward loans that deepen debt burdens.
Hassan Sheikh’s remarks came during the high-level segment of COP31, which brings together heads of state and government to discuss international climate commitments and support for countries most affected by global warming. The conference began Nov. 9 and runs through Nov. 20, with negotiations focusing on climate finance, adaptation, emissions reductions and implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Somalia’s request reflects a broader push by African nations for a greater share of global climate funds, arguing that those least responsible for emissions often bear the heaviest costs. Whether the conference delivers concrete commitments on early-release financing and grant-based support remains to be seen as negotiations enter their final week.
