Mogadishu, Dec 5 (IANS): The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday appealed for $171 million to support 1.8 million people, including 1.1 million children, in Somalia in 2025.

The funds will be used to scale up integrated health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education, child protection and social protection interventions, UNICEF said, Xinhua news agency reported.

"This funding appeal is 10 per cent less than the 2024 appeal, due to a decrease in the target that is consistent with the downward trend in the number of people in need. This aligns with UNICEF's ongoing shift towards longer-term, more resilience-focused and high-impact interventions," UNICEF said in its latest appeal for Somalia.

The UN agency said it would enhance program integration and implementation of cross-sectoral priorities, including gender equality, disability inclusion and resilience.

Prevention of aid diversion remains a priority, it added.

UNICEF said the financial support in 2025 will enable the UN agency and its partners to deliver integrated multisectoral services and expand services to hard-to-reach locations.

The impact of climate change, disease outbreaks and poverty in Somalia is staggering, UNICEF said, warning that despite greater stability in some areas of the country, ongoing conflict continues to cause displacement and restricts access to services.

In 2025, UNICEF said 6.9 million people, including 4.3 million children, need humanitarian assistance.

Anticipated poor rainfall related to the La Nina weather pattern is likely to push the number of people facing food crisis from 3.6 million to 4.4 million by December, it said.

UNICEF said the number of children under the age of five at risk of wasting could rise to 1.6 million by July 2025, with 403,000 expected to be severely wasted.

"Combined with conflict and disease outbreaks, about 6.9 million people, including 4.3 million children, 1.1 million women and 310,000 people with disabilities, require urgent humanitarian aid in 2025. Expected rainfall shortages could worsen the food crisis, affecting up to 4.4 million people," it said.