La Fédération Internationale des Journalistes (FIJ) a clôturé le 1 er mai 2013 la première formation en sécurité et aux premiers soins en faveur des journalistes du Mali. Cette formation qui avait débuté le 29 avril s’est tenue à Bamako, la capitale du pays et a regroupé 22 journalistes venus de Gao, Tombouctou et Bamako.

« En organisant cette première formation en sécurité, nous avons voulu apporter une réponse aux préoccupations de nos collègues du Mali qui, en ces moments difficiles, ont besoin d’être outillés pour mieux travailler en toute sécurité », a déclaré Gabriel Baglo, directeur Afrique de la FIJ. « Nous faisons appel aux partenaires pour programmer d’autres formations du genre à l’intention des reporters qui en ont le plus besoin pour leur sécurité », a-t-il ajouté.

Pendant les trois jours de formation, les participants ont abordé des thèmes liés à la planification opérationnelle d’une mission des médias, la sécurité personnelle, les mouvements en zones de conflit, les menaces balistiques et les mesures de protection, la connaissance des enlèvements et risques spéciaux; les émeutes, le désordre public, la sécurité de l'hébergement et du lieu de travail.

Les participants ont profité de la formation pour échanger leurs expériences et expliquer les difficultés qu’ils ont rencontrées quand ils étaient dans une situation de couverture de zones dangereuses.

«Grâce à cette formation qui a allié théorie et pratique, je sais ce que je dois faire en temps de conflit », a déclaré Abdourhamane Touré, journaliste au quotidien national l’ESSOR. Quant à Souleymane Sangho de Gao, il a salué la pertinence de cette formation et mesuré à sa juste valeur son importance. « J’ai toujours pensé qu’on devait s’ajuster en fonction des réalités du terrain. Mais cette formation m’a permis de savoir qu’une bonne couverture d’une zone sensible se planifie et que le journaliste lui-même peut être en mesure d’apporter les premiers soins en cas de blessures », a déclaré Sangho.

La formation a également prodigué les premiers soins. Ce volet important a été particulièrement bien suivi par les participants.. Chaque module a été suivi d’exercices pratiques et de récapitulatifs.

La FIJ, considérant que la nécessité de garantir la sécurité des journalistes constitue un gage pour leur indépendance, a développé ces dernières années une masse critique de compétences qui permettront aux journalistes de minimiser les risques auxquels ils peuvent être exposés dans l'exercice de leur métier.

Délivrée par un formateur de la FIJ en sécurité des médias, la formation s’inscrit dans la mise en œuvre d'un programme dénommé « construire une culture de la sécurité et des droits de l'homme chez les journalistes du Mali ». A terme, la FIJ avec d'autres partenaires, va procéder à d'autres formations dans la couverture du processus électoral, les reportages sensibles au conflit, et le droit humanitaire international.

Pour plus d'information, veuillez contacter la FIJ au : + 221 33 867 95 86

La FIJ représente plus de 600.000 journalistes dans 134 pays du monde

In Syria, fighting between the Government and opposition groups continued in all governorates apart from Tartous and As-Sweida. Following a large scale offensive by the Government initiated on 26 April, heavy fighting has been reported in and around Damascus. Clashes in Eastern Ghouta forced the closure of Damascus international airport. Approximately 6.8 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in the country while some 4.25 million people are displaced and over 1.4 million people have fled into neighbouring countries.

The humanitarian crisis spawned by the power struggle currently unfolding in the Central African Republic is now affecting the entire population of the country, some 4.6 million people of which 2.3 million are children. Throughout the country and in the capital Bangui, clashes between armed factions and lootings is increasing insecurity that is significantly hampering humanitarian access. As of 3 May, an estimated 49,000 people have fled CAR to seek refuge in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad and Cameroon.

Military operations between warring parties have intensified in Sudan’s Darfur and South Kordofan. In Southern Darfur, renewed tribal fighting between the Gimir and Beni Halba tribes over land ownership and military operations of the Government forces against rebel groups have led to the displacement of thousands of people over the past few weeks. In South Kordofan, although ceasefire negotiations between the SPLM-N rebel group and Khartoum are ongoing, renewed fighting between the official forces and a yet unidentified insurgent faction has erupted over the last week.

Last Updated: 06/05/2013 Next Update: 13/05/2013

Global Emergency Overview web interface

Voilà trois jours qu’Abdou Dicko et sa famille sont assis dans le port de Mopti, au bord du fleuve Niger dans le centre du Mali. Abdou, sa femme Fatoumata, sa deuxième épouse, leurs six enfants, ses six frères et ses trois nièces, attendent tous que le bateau les emmène enfin à Tombouctou vers le nord.

Lire la suite

General context and trends

Food security indicators in the Sahel have improved since the 2012 crisis due to good rains and harvests. Total cereal production of the 2012/2013 growing season in the Sahel increased by 16 per cent compared to 2011/2012. Market supplies have also improved since the end of the harvest leading to significant price decline. However, price levels remain higher than the five year average in some areas of Niger and Nigeria, as well as in Mali and the sahelian area of Burkina Faso. In addition, the impact of last year’s crisis, including the depletion of public and private stocks and the effects of negative coping mechanisms, continue to affect 10.3 million people who will be food insecure in 2013. The nutritional situation also remains a concern with global acute malnutrition exceeding the critical threshold of 15 per cent in some parts of Niger, Senegal, Chad, Nigeria and Mauritania. Some 1.4 million children are at risk of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and over 3.5 million will suffer from Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM). It is expected that throughout the year, a combination of life-saving and longer-term needs will need to be addressed.

In January and February, some 900,000 people benefited each month from unconditional targeted food distributions, including 291,000 Malians. The number of people involved in asset creation activities more than doubled from January to February, while the number of people who received their food ration through cash/voucher based transfers more than tripled. Over 111,000 children suffering from SAM and almost 380,000 children suffering from MAM were admitted in nutrition and health centers. In addition, “WASH in nutrition” indicators improved compared to last year with 19 per cent of nutrition centers delivering the WASH minimum package, compared to 10 per cent in 2012. In the field of agriculture, assistance is focusing on the off-season vegetable production from October 2012 to May 2013 and support to livestock. However, with the main agricultural season approaching in May, renewed commitment of donors is needed to assist vulnerable households to produce their own food and protect their scarce resources. Funds should be received by April 2013 to ensure procurement of improved quality seeds and fertilizers by May-June. As of 19 April, only five per cent of the $135 million requested by FAO to support 6 million people had been received. Underfunding is also hampering WASH activities with only four per cent of the $112 million requirement allocated so far.

GCSP Policy Paper 2013/4

Key Points:

•In Mali, insecurity is likely to play out well into the foreseeable future. Political solutions cannot be expected until an elected government takes over in Bamako. Even then, successful negotiations regarding the status of Northern Mali will prove to be particularly problematic.

•Mali is in need of a full-fledged national dialogue and a type of truth and reconciliation commission in order to move past the crimes committed during the occupation and the recapture of the North.

•Although militant groups have suffered severe losses, they could still carry out lastingly many of the activities in the textbook of asymmetrical warfare.

•The discussion of whether Françafrique is back or not does not have an impact on the situation in Mali. French troops are in Mali. France is committed to contribute and will play a military role in the future, whether it is within the United Nations-mandated, African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA) or, more likely, with a rapid reaction force designated for Mali.

•A regional organisation should take the lead in dealing with cross-border issues, be it transnational crime or Islamist militancy. While ECOWAS is usually regarded as the relevant one for Mali, in terms of member states, the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (Cen-Sad) seems much more suitable to deal with crossborder challenges.

•International crisis management will be pursued according to the experience and political will of involved organisations on a modular basis. There will be a hybrid mission (UN together with regional organisation), a training mission provided by the European Union and a regional organisation taking care of the political processes.

Civilian Protection, Respect of Prisoners Crucial in Possible Kidal Operation

(Nairobi, May 7, 2013) – All warring parties in northern Mali are obligated to abide by the laws of war in the event of a Malian military offensive against opposition armed groups in the Kidal region, Human Rights Watch said today. Past abuses have heightened concerns about the need for all armed forces to minimize harm to civilians and ensure the humane treatment of all prisoners, in accordance with the 1949 Geneva Conventions and customary international humanitarian law, Human Rights Watch said.

The Malian government should ensure an adequate presence of gendarmes who are mandated to question detainees during military operations and respond to disciplinary lapses by soldiers. The government should also adequately staff a 24-hour telephone hotline with relevant Malian authorities and personnel from the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA) to facilitate reporting of abuses.

“The commanders of the Malian armed forces and rebel groups need to respect the laws of war to minimize civilian harm and ensure the humane treatment of detainees,” said Corinne Dufka, senior West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The Malian people have already suffered from atrocities by all sides. Further abuses risk increasing ethnic tensions among an already vulnerable population.”

The media have reported that the Malian government is planning a military offensive against the areas of Kidal region that remain under the control of two armed groups – the Tuareg National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and the Islamic Movement of Azawad (MIA). Kidal is the only remaining part of Mali that is not fully under government control after the French-led military operation, which began in January 2013.

Human Rights Watch has previously documented serious abuses by the parties to Mali’s armed conflict, which began in January 2012. Rebel groups within the Kidal region were responsible for the massacre of scores of Malian soldiers in January 2012. The MNLA has committed sexual violence and pillage. And Islamist armed groups have committed summary executions, recruited child soldiers, and carried out amputations and other inhumane treatment associated with their own interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called for those implicated to be held accountable.

Since the French-led offensive, numerous Malian soldiers have been implicated in summary executions, torture, and enforced disappearances of suspected Islamist rebels and alleged collaborators. The Malian authorities have investigated several of these incidents and promised to hold those responsible to account. However, numerous other cases have yet to be investigated and no soldiers implicated in abuses have been put on trial.

The current armed conflict between the Malian government and its allies and opposition armed groups is regulated by Common Article 3 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, to which Mali is a party, and customary international humanitarian law. This law provides protections to civilians and other noncombatants from the hazards of armed conflict. It addresses the conduct of hostilities – the means and methods of warfare – by all sides.

Civilians may never be the deliberate target of attack, and warring parties are required to take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians and civilian objects. Attacks that fail to discriminate between combatants and civilians, or would cause disproportionate harm to civilians, are prohibited. Civilians and captured combatants are protected against murder, torture, and other ill-treatment.

“Civilians have been through enough in the past16 months; all sides simply must do all they can to minimize any further suffering,” Dufka said.

Il est impératif que les civils soient protégés et les droits des prisonniers respectés lors d’une éventuelle opération militaire dans la région de Kidal

(Nairobi, le 7 mai 2013) – Toutes les parties belligérantes dans le nord du Mali ont l’obligation de respecter les lois de la guerre, notamment dans le cas où l’armée nationale malienne lancerait une offensive contre les groupes d’opposition dans la région de Kidal, a déclaré Human Rights Watch aujourd’hui. Des violations des droits humains commises précédemment ont suscité des préoccupations, et rappelé la nécessité que toutes les forces armées impliquées minimisent les dommages subis par les civils et s’assurent que tous les prisonniers soient traités avec humanité, conformément aux Conventions de Genève de 1949 et au droit international humanitaire coutumier, a ajouté Human Rights Watch.

Le gouvernement malien devrait s’assurer de la présence d’un nombre adéquat de gendarmes mandatés pour interroger les prisonniers pendant les opérations militaires et pour prendre des mesures dans les cas où des soldats commettraient des manquements à la discipline. Le gouvernement devrait aussi mettre en place une permanence téléphonique ouverte 24 heures sur 24 et maintenue de manière adéquate par une équipe composée de responsables maliens compétents et de personnels de la Mission de soutien international au Mali sous conduite africaine (MISMA, ou AFISMA en anglais), afin de faciliter le recueil d’informations au sujet d’exactions.

« Les commandants des forces armées maliennes et des groupes rebelles doivent respecter les lois de la guerre, afin de minimiser les dommages subis par les civils et d’assurer que les prisonniers soient traités avec humanité», a déclaré Corinne Dufka, chercheuse senior sur l’Afrique de l’Ouest à Human Rights Watch. « Le peuple malien a déjà souffert d’atrocités commises par tous les camps. De nouvelles exactions risqueraient d’exacerber encore les tensions ethniques au sein d’une population déjà vulnérable.»

Les médias ont annoncé que le gouvernement malien préparait une offensive militaire dans les zones situées dans la région de Kidal qui demeurent sous le contrôle de deux groupes armés – le Mouvement national touareg pour la libération de l’Azawad (MNLA) et le Mouvement islamique de l’Azawad (MIA). Kidal est la seule région du Mali dont le contrôle n’a pas été pleinement assuré par le gouvernement à la suite de l’opération militaire menée par la France, qui a débuté en janvier 2013.

Human Rights Watch a précédemment documenté de graves violations des droits humains commises par les parties au conflit armé au Mali, qui a commencé en janvier 2012. Les groupes rebelles dans la région de Kidal sont responsables du massacre d’un grand nombre de soldats maliens en janvier 2012. Le MNLA a commis des violences sexuelles et des pillages. En outre, des groupes armés islamistes ont procédé à des exécutions sommaires, recruté des enfants soldats, effectué des amputations et se sont livrés à d’autres traitements inhumains, liés à leur propre interprétation de la charia, la loi islamique. Human Rights Watch a lancé à plusieurs reprises des appels pour que les responsables de ces actes soient amenés à rendre des comptes devant la justice.

Depuis le début de l’offensive dirigée par la France, de nombreux soldats maliens ont été impliqués dans des exécutions sommaires, des tortures et des disparitions forcées de personnes soupçonnées d’être des rebelles islamistes ou d’avoir collaboré avec eux. Les autorités maliennes ont enquêté sur plusieurs de ces incidents et promis de faire rendre des comptes aux responsables. Cependant, de nombreux autres cas n’ont toujours pas fait l’objet d’enquêtes et aucun soldat impliqué dans des exactions n’a encore été traduit en justice.

Le conflit armé actuel entre le gouvernement malien et ses alliés d’une part, et les groupes armés d’opposition d’autre part, est règlementé par l’Article 3 commun aux Conventions de Genève de 1949, dont le Mali est signataire, et par le droit international humanitaire coutumier. Ce droit vise à protéger les civils et les autres non-combattants des dangers d’un conflit armé. Il traite de la conduite des hostilités – c’est-à-dire les moyens et méthodes de guerre – par toutes les parties.

Les civils ne doivent jamais être pris délibérément pour cible d’une attaque et les belligérants sont tenus de prendre toutes les précautions possibles pour minimiser les dommages infligés aux civils et à leurs biens. Les attaques qui ne feraient pas de distinction entre combattants et civils ou qui causeraient des dommages disproportionnés aux civils sont interdites. Les civils et les combattants capturés ne doivent pas être victimes de meurtres, de tortures ou d’autres mauvais traitements.

« Les civils ont assez souffert au cours des 16 derniers mois. Toutes les parties doivent faire tout leur possible pour minimiser de nouvelles souffrances éventuelles», a conclu Corinne Dufka.

Islamic Relief has launched a co-dependent fish and vegetable farm project in Malawi.

Fishpond water is high in nutrients that plants need, and vegetable deposits and waste can be used to feed fish. Increasingly, farmers across the globe are creating co-dependent irrigation systems that allow both fish and plant to benefit from one another.

Islamic Relief is introducing this system to 500 farmers in Malawi, to enable them to expand their work and increase their yield and profit while reducing feeding and water costs and wastage.

Over the next 24 months, we will be training and equipping farmers in villages in the districts of Nyambi and Machinga to farm fish and vegetables concurrently.

As we pilot this project, we are focussing on communities to which we have already brought water supplies, enabling them to get the best use out of an existing water source.

The project also aims to improve the health of communities, by teaching them to sustainably farm both fish and vegetables to feed their families.

Working with the Ministry of Agriculture, Islamic Relief has selected breeds of fish and varieties of vegetables that will benefit one another. We will also work with local leaders and fisheries to ensure that both the processes and the farm produce is suited to the local environment.

Participating villages will identify one or two sites for fish ponds and vegetable gardens and will elect local leaders to guide the project.

Islamic Relief (IR) established an office in Malawi in 2006 and runs water irrigation and sanitation projects, helping communities in the land-locked country deal with water shortages and droughts.

Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation - Mon, 6 May 2013 10:39 AM
Author: Katy Migiro

NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Aid workers are wary of being co-opted into a Western political agenda in Somalia, even though experts say supporting the new government in Mogadishu could be the best way to improve security and prevent another famine.

Read the full article on AlertNet

WASHINGTON, le 30 avril 2013 – Le Conseil des Administrateurs de la Banque mondiale a approuvé aujourd’hui un don de 70 millions de dollars à l’appui de Jigiséméjiri (Arbre de l’espoir), un projet d’aide sociale d’urgence qui versera une allocation mensuelle de 10 000 FCFA (20 dollars environ) pendant trois ans à 62 000 ménages parmi les plus pauvres du Mali.

Avec plus de 40 % de pauvres, la majorité des Maliens sont extrêmement vulnérables. Depuis mars 2012, l’instabilité politique et le conflit ont sensiblement aggravé la situation. De nombreux ménages sont en difficulté et la malnutrition infantile risque d’avoir des conséquences dramatiques à long terme pour toute une génération.

Le projet Arbre de l’espoir s’adressera initialement aux ménages vulnérables dans le Sud du pays — dans les régions de Sikasso, Ségou, Mopti, Koulikoro et Kayes, et le district de Bamako — où de nombreuses familles qui vivaient déjà dans la pauvreté avant la crise ont accueilli des milliers de nouveaux réfugiés venus du Nord en crise.

« Alors que le Mali s’efforce à grand peine de reconstruire après la plus grave crise politique et sécuritaire qu’il ait connu depuis son accession à l’indépendance, le projet Arbre de l’espoir permettra aux familles vulnérables d’avoir de quoi survivre en cette période extrêmement difficile ”, a déclaré Ousmane Diagana, Directeur des opérations de la Banque mondiale pour le Mali.

Destiné à évoluer vers un programme national de protection sociale plus complet qui pourra être déployé rapidement pour aider si nécessaire un plus grand nombre de ménages pauvres, le projet Arbre de l’espoir sera financé par l’Association internationale de développement (IDA)* du Groupe de la Banque mondiale pendant les cinq prochaines années.

Une fois que la situation sera stabilisée dans le Nord du Mali, a expliqué Ousmane Diagana, le projet pourra être progressivement étendu au reste du pays grâce à de nouveaux apports de fonds du gouvernement et des partenaires de développement.

« Bien qu’il apporte une aide d’urgence, ce filet de protection sociale s’inscrit dans le cadre de la stratégie nationale de réduction de la pauvreté à long terme car il vient en aide aux ménages vulnérables qui ont un besoin urgent d’assistance, tout en jetant les bases d’un système national de protection sociale qui aidera à mieux résister aux chocs futurs », a déclaré Setareh Razmara, l’un des chefs d’équipes du projet à la Banque mondiale. « L’expérience d’autres pays de la région comme le Rwanda, le Niger, le Ghana et la Tanzanie montre que les filets de protection sociale sont un moyen efficace et abordable de faire des progrès rapides et sans précédent dans la lutte contre la pauvreté en Afrique subsaharienne. »

L’aide de la Banque mondiale dans le secteur de la protection sociale en Afrique subsaharienne a augmenté de 260 millions de dollars par an en moyenne sur la période 2001-2005 à 600 millions de dollars par an au cours de 2006-2010. Le portefeuille des projets en cours de la Banque mondiale dans le secteur de la protection sociale en Afrique représente un engagement total de plus de 3 milliards de dollars.

• L’Association internationale de développement (IDA), créée en 1960, aide les pays les plus pauvres du monde en accordant des prêts (appelés « crédits ») et des dons pour des projets et des programmes qui visent à stimuler la croissance économique, à faire reculer la pauvreté et à améliorer la vie des pauvres. L'IDA est l'un des principaux bailleurs de fonds pour les 81 pays les plus pauvres du monde, dont 39 se trouvent en Afrique. Les ressources de l'IDA apportent des changements positifs pour les 2,5 milliards de personnes vivant avec moins de 2 dollars par jour. Depuis 1960, l'Association a contribué à des projets de développement dans 108 pays. Les engagements annuels ont augmenté régulièrement pour atteindre 15 milliards de dollars en moyenne au cours des trois dernières années, dont 50 % environ en Afrique.

SUBMITTED BY FRANCK BOUSQUET ON MAY 6, 2013

At a conference on the margin of the recent Spring Meetings, the bi-annual gathering of finance ministers and central bank governors hosted by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, high-level representatives of Djibouti, Yemen and Morocco presented their respective programs for managing risk. Yet the risk they were discussing was the deadly kind, a consequence of the increasing frequency of natural disasters. Disaster Risk Management (DRM) has become a critical component of national policy and planning. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the interplay of natural disasters, together with the impacts of climate change, water scarcity, and urbanization, have emerged as serious challenges for policymaker. While the number of natural disasters around the world has almost doubled since the 1980s, in MENA, the number has almost tripled. In recent years, floods and droughts have been particularly devastating to the region, bringing significant water shortages, economic losses, and adverse social consequences along with numerous fatalities. Earthquakes are the second most prevalent disaster in the region and have impacted lives and livelihoods.

The following provides further evidence of this growing threat to MNA countries and citizens:

• Although global flood mortality risk has decreased since 2000, in regions like MENA it is still increasing.

• The number of flash floods and people affected or killed has doubled during the last ten years

• The percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) exposed to floods has tripled from the period 1970-1979 to 2000-2009.

• In Djibouti, 120,000 people (50 percent of the rural population) were impacted by the 2011 drought. From 2008-2011, drought caused economic losses equivalent to 3.9 percent of Djibouti’s GDP per annum.

• In Yemen, the 2008 Hadramout and Al-Mahara floods cost US$1.6 billion, the equivalent of 6 percent of Yemen’s GDP.

Focusing on proactive disaster risk management contributes to fighting poverty and supporting growth, the two major objectives of the World Bank. In the thirty years from 1980 to 2010, despite different levels of development, 81 percent of disaster events in MENA were concentrated in just six countries—Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Morocco, and the Republic of Yemen. However, across all those countries, the poorest category of the population are the ones most affected, as they have limited resources with which to adapt and, in many cases, live in areas that are most prone to disasters (i.e. in informal settlements at the outskirt of cities).

MENA’s rapid urbanization is increasing the exposure of people and economic assets to disaster events.The urban population already accounts for 62 percent of the total population and is expected to double in the next three decades. The impact of urbanization is especially important in the region’s coastal areas, where the largest cities and economies are located. Today, approximately 60 million people (about 17 percent of MENA’s total population) live in the region’s coastal areas. But let’s be clear- the issue is not urbanization itself. The issue is the way the urbanization process is being handled. The rapid growth of informal settlements (which in the case of Djibouti-Ville, the capital of Djibouti, or Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, ranges from between 25% and 50% of the city’s total population) is resulting in greater exposure and vulnerability of the poorest to urban floods and water stress. This further underscores the need for decision makers to focus on cities’ sustainable development and on the capacity of local governments to prepare for and to handle disasters.

At the local level, city managers are not the only ones with key roles to play. Civil society organizations can also contribute significantly to building local resilience. Although MENA countries are still among the most centralized in the world, with some of the lowest total local government expenditures, several countries in the region are progressively moving toward greater devolution of powers to lower tiers of government. This is especially true of Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen, and. This shift represents an opportunity to strengthen cities, making them more resilient to natural hazards and strengthening their capacity to manage development, and thus support the DRM agenda.

Since 2007, with the support of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), a range of country-level programs have been launched in Djibouti, Morocco, and the Republic of Yemen to increase their resilience to disasters. These programs include activities aimed at improving information availability on disaster risks, developing the policy environment for risk reduction, building capacities in risk reduction through training at the national and local levels, and creating state-led post-disaster recovery and reconstruction programs. In Algeria, Djibouti, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Morocco and Yemen, donor-funded hazard risk assessments have been completed or are ongoing. Flood recovery projects have been launched in Djibouti and in Yemen, and inter-ministerial steering committees on DRM have been established in Algeria, Djibouti, Morocco, and Yemen.

While a certain level of momentum has been building around DRM in MENA, it has not yet been matched with the integrated approaches required to manage risks effectively. Given the region’s growing exposure to natural hazards, risk reduction challenges are substantial. However, systematically building awareness and institutional capacity at the regional, national and local levels can help minimize risks. This entails taking immediate steps, and taking them collaboratively. Good development planning, informed by risk analysis, will contribute significantly to ensuring development is sustainable, while simultaneously benefitting people’s lives and their livelihoods. So let’s do it now: disaster risk management cannot wait.

05/07/2013 09:36 GMT

MOGADISHU, May 07, 2013 (AFP) - An international conference is being held in London on Tuesday aimed at boosting political stability in Somalia and preventing the troubled Horn of Africa nation from slipping back into abject lawlessness.

Following is a timeline of developments over the past two decades in the civil-war ravaged country:

1991: President Mohamed Siad Barre, in power since 1969, is deposed by rebels and flees the country. Civil war breaks out later that year.

• 1992-1995: The international community intervenes in a bid to end a major famine and restore peace but the United Nations' mission ends in failure.

• 2002: Amid US fears that Somalia may be becoming a haven for Al-Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks, Washington reaches a deal to base forces in neighbouring Djibouti.

• 2005: The new government formed the previous year after protracted talks in Kenya enters the country but is still unable to go to Mogadishu, which is controlled by warlords. It sets up shop in the town of Baidoa.

• 2006: The Islamic Courts movement, accused by the US of harbouring Al-Qaeda extremists, takes over Mogadishu after heavy fighting.

• Dec 2006: Ethiopia invades with Washington's blessing. The Shebab, the Islamic Courts' armed wing, emerges and starts a bloody insurgency.

• 2007: An African Union force arrives in Mogadishu to protect Somalia's transitional federal government, which returns to the capital.

• 2009: Ethiopia completes a withdrawal. Days later, the Shebab seize Baidoa as the UN holds talks in Djibouti with the entire Somali parliament to rally former Islamic Courts leaders.

Islamist leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed becomes president of the transitional administration.

• 2010: The Shebab proclaim their allegiance to Al-Qaeda. They claim a double attack in Kampala, in retaliation for Uganda's participation in the African Union force.

• 2011: In August the Shebab are driven out of Mogadishu after an offensive by the AU force.

In July, famine is formally declared in parts of southern Somalia, which lasts until February 2012. The UN later said almost 260,000 people were killed, have of them children under five.

In October, a suicide bombing carried out by the Shebab kills 82 in Mogadishu. The Kenyan army invades in the south of the country, followed by an intervention by Ethiopian troops in November.

• 2012: In February, Ethiopian troops and forces of the transitional government take the central town of Baidoa from the Shebab.

• August 20: A new parliament for Somalia is sworn in, after the adoption of a new provisional constitution.

• September 10: Members of the new parliament elect Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as president.

• September 29: Shebab rebels say they have abandoned the southern Somali port city of Kismayo, their last major bastion in the country, after an assault by Kenyan African Union troops.

• 2013: On January 17, the United States recognises Somalia's government for the first time since 1991.

• April 14: Around 30 are killed when gunmen storm Mogadishu's main court complex in an attack claimed by the Shebab.

• April 25: Britain opens a new embassy in Mogadishu, 22 years after London pulled its diplomats from Somalia, and making it the first EU nation to return.

• May 2: A UN report reveals that almost 260,000 people died of hunger during the 2010-12 famine in Somalia.

doc-bur/txw

© 1994-2013 Agence France-Presse

This report covers the period 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012

Overview

Meeting the objectives of the 2012–2015 Long Term Planning Framework continues to be a commitment of both IFRC and ERCS. Over the course of 2012 IFRC supported ERCS by providing technical support for the implementation of activities against their long-term programmes, as per the 2012 plans developed. In 2012, ERCS implemented a number of long term programmes bilaterally with PNS and four sectoral programmes multilaterally funded by Swedish Red Cross in the areas of food security, organisation development, CBHFA and WatSan.

Achievements have been made against the 2012 food security programme which is being implemented in the Dergajen, Dedba and Shibta tabias of Enderta woreda in Tigray region. A total of 35 beneficiaries received 35 cross breed cows and 103 beneficiaries received 2 beehives each for IGA activities. Technical training on the management of cross breed cows, cattle fattening, bee-keeping, and shoats rearing was also delivered. Against the health objective a total of 30 volunteers were trained on PHAST and 50 volunteers trained on CBHFA. There were also two set of school latrines built, 3 shallow wells constructed, 3 check dams constructed with linked cattle trough units and 2 water committees established. Against the natural resource management objective 16,480 fruit seedlings and 10,350 forage seedlings were distributed to beneficiaries. To build ERC capacity, office materials including computers were procured to support the Tigray branch and the project contributed to the tuition fees of ERCS staff for their higher education courses.

For the 2012 CBHFA programme induction workshops were conducted at all branches, CBHFA ToT was delivered to 300 volunteers who cascaded the training to communities and 150 volunteers received First Aid training. In addition PHAST volunteers, previously trained in 2006, supported the programme through training a total of 1,600 community members across the 5 branches on hygiene promotion activities.

N°: 120/2013 6 mai 2013 [Bamako - Mali]

Les soldats précurseurs du contingent ivoirien devant intégrer la Mission internationale de soutien au Mali sous conduite africaine (MISMA) sont arrivés par voie terrestre à Bamako, le dimanche 5 mai 2013.

Ce contingent comprend 100 éléments, sur les 235 du bataillon logistique que la Côte d’Ivoire devrait fournir à la MISMA.

Avec l’arrivée des Ivoiriens, le nombre de soldats de la MISMA déployés sur le territoire malien s’élève désormais à 6 323.

Les troupes de la MISMA sont déployées dans le district de Bamako ainsi que dans les régions de Koulikoro, Ségou, Mopti, Tombouctou, Gao et Kidal.
Plusieurs personnalités maliennes et étrangères ont visité certaines de ces localités libérées et actuellement sécurisées par les troupes africaines.

C’est le cas du président de la République du Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou, du chef d’état-major général des armées nigériennes, le général de division Seyni Garba, et du ministre nigérien de la Défense, Mahamadou Karidjo, qui se sont rendus à Gao. Le président de la Commission de la CEDEAO, Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, et le ministre délégué à la Défense de la Guinée, Me Abdoul Kabèlè Camara, leur avaient emboîté le pas. Tout comme eux, le Représentant spécial de la présidente de la Commission de l'Union africaine et chef de la MISMA, l’ancien président burundais Pierre Buyoya, est allé aussi à Gao, mais également à Kidal.

Le président malien par intérim, Dioncounda Traoré, et son ministre de la Défense et des Anciens combattants, le colonel-major Yamoussa Camara, ont visité, eux, les troupes de la MISMA déployées à Sévaré, dans la région de Tombouctou et Nara, dans la région de Koulikoro. Quant au Premier ministre malien de transition, Diango Cissoko, il a rendu visite aux soldats africains déployés à Banamba, Koulikoro et Gao.

Cette semaine, le ministre des Forces armées du Sénégal, Augustin Tine, accompagné du chef d’état-major des armées sénégalaises, le général de division, Mamadou Sow, et du Haut commandant de la Gendarmerie nationale, le général de corps d’armées Abdoulaye Fall, sera en déplacement dans plusieurs régions maliennes où sont stationnées des troupes de la MISMA.

Le déploiement de ces troupes se fait conformément au plan prévisionnel de la Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations unies pour la stabilisation au Mali (MINUSMA), créée le jeudi 25 avril 2013 par le Conseil de sécurité à travers sa résolution 2100.

La MISMA, dont l’effectif total est de 7 208 hommes, y compris les soldats tchadiens, devra être incorporée aux 12.600 Casques bleus et policiers de la MINUSMA censée assurer à compter du 1er juillet 2013, la relève de la MISMA, menée actuellement par l'Union africaine et la Communauté économique des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) pour la sécurité et la stabilisation du Mali.

Les détails de la transition de la MISMA en MINUSMA seront examinés les 8 et 9 mai 2013 à Addis-Abeba, en Ethiopie, au cours d’une réunion tripartite regroupant les Nations unies, l’Union africaine et la CEDEAO.

Outre la libération des régions maliennes occupées par des groupes terroristes, les troupes africaines ont également pour mission de participer à la sécurisation de l’élection présidentielle malienne de juillet 2013.

Somalia has suffered two decades of conflict, worsening droughts and heavy flooding.

Militia groups control significant parts of the country, which makes it difficult for aid workers to bring help in these areas.

Whilst a humanitarian response continues to be vital in order to save lives, long term, sustainable solutions are key to addressing Somalia’s endemic political, security and socio-economic challenges.

The EU is the world's biggest donor to Somalia. Its aim is to fight poverty and promote sustainable development. Over the past decade, the EU has helped to improve security, peace and governance in the country. There is still a long way to go but the EU's continuous efforts have already benefited many Somali people.

European development aid is designed to put in place the minimum conditions for a functioning state, peace and security, as well as to provide basic services to the population. Support to the Somali people covers agriculture, livestock, basic infrastructure, vocational training, health and the private sector. Poverty and 50% unemployment are of primary concern in Somalia, with the average life expectancy at 45 years, support to the education sector and vocational training play an important role; not only in poverty alleviation, but also in fighting piracy by giving the young Somalis alternative means of income through jobs.

In parallel, the EU strengthens resilience and prevents the impact of droughts, which are a recurrent phenomenon in the Horn of Africa (only recently the famine affected 750,000 people); thanks to EU support more than 2 million people benefit from humanitarian aid.

Facts & figures

-Access to safe water for up to 700,000 people and to basic sanitation for over 80,000 -Continuing EU support will allow the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to reach its maximum strength of 17,731 uniformed personnel -50,000 households directly benefited from support to the rehabilitation of irrigation and flood control infrastructure in 2010 -Treatment and immunization for 6.7 million sheep and goats, against diseases that limit productivity and trade

Addressing the security situation

The EU is one of the biggest donors to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which was launched in January 2007 to create the necessary conditions for reconstruction, reconciliation and the sustainable development of Somalia. Current troops' numbers have reached nearly 17,000.

Since 2007, the EU has provided €444 million. The role of AMISOM remains crucial in providing the security space necessary for the functioning of governance by the Transitional Federal Institutions and the build-up of the Somali Security Forces so that they can gradually take over the tasks currently performed by AMISOM. So far, AMISOM's mission was successful in creating the minimum security pre-conditions for continuing the peace process.

EU aid focuses on better governance, education and more economic opportunities

Between 2008-2013, the EU is allocating approximately €415 million to hundreds of development projects in Somalia. The EU's efforts achieved substantial results:

1. Governance

EU support to governance includes support to institution building, reconciliation, rule of law, human rights and support to Somali civil society.

It helped for instance to conduct free and fair elections in June 2010 in Somaliland, and to support district councils which created village markets (that allowed people to access food and to trade, which in turn increase their income), health posts and community centres reaching over 95,000 people.

In 2011 alone 6,300 police officers and 170 law officials - judges, prosecutors, judiciary members and court staff - were trained, including in human rights principles.

EU aid helped to establish the first ever law faculties in Somaliland and Puntland to train judges and prosecutors. Currently 385 students are registered at the Law Faculty at the Hargeisa University and 277 have graduated since 2002. The EU also provided legal aid for vulnerable people including internally displaced persons (IDPs) and women.

In 2010 in Somaliland, legal clinics provided legal assistance to 6,290 people – four times more than in 2009. With EU support mobile courts in Somaliland registered around 321 cases. EU aid supports the establishment of public financial management across the different administrations, including revenue management and longer-term planning. Inclusion of civil society is a very important dimension as it ensures the sustainability of processes. Human Rights and gender are mainstreamed in all programmes.

2. Education

Since 2010:

• more than 40,000 students have gained access to basic, primary and secondary education
• More than 330 classrooms were built or rehabilitated
• 4,000 primary and secondary teachers qualified -almost 30% of these were women
• 5,279 trainees were enrolled in vocational training, ensuring the development of skills and promotion of employment.

The number of children enrolling in primary schools has remarkably improved; from very low levels (35 %) in 2007 to an estimated 45% in 2010. However, only 3 to 6% of Somali young people have access to secondary education. Yet EU aid has started to improve the situation and the regions of Somaliland and Puntland offer encouraging examples: from an enrolment of mere 450 students in 1999, there were over 50,000 students in the 2010-11 academic year.

3. Economic development and poverty alleviation: Agriculture, Livelihoods & Food Security

The Northern part of Somalia is a dry land, with most people making their living from keeping livestock. Agriculture is reduced to a few areas near Hargeisa- Boroma (North-West of Somaliland) and some oases in Puntland. Therefore, the majority of the population living in Somaliland and Puntland are vulnerable to food insecurity because of recurrent droughts. The resilience of pastoralists to drought can be enhanced by small injections of cash to the poorest people. The families that receive cash are likely to buy food locally and pay their debts to local traders. The EU has financed such cash projects in Puntland which proved to be a successful tool. In the agricultural irrigated areas of the south, the EU has supported the establishment of a seed sector that has achieved high quality performance and generated a profitable market for farmers. Results show that the improved Somali seeds distributed locally to farmer associations can increase the yield by 50-100%; doubling the production per hectare and reducing food insecurity.

The EU is also involved in rehabilitation of canals in agricultural areas: in 2010, about 50,000 farming and agro-pastoral households directly benefited from support to the rehabilitation of irrigation and flood control infrastructure and crop development. More than 3 million Somalis also benefited from EU funded market information: the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) is co-financed by the EU and provides reliable information on the economic and food security situation in Somalia.

Livestock

Over 70,000 households involved in livestock production, processing and trade benefited from EU funded support. The livestock sector is estimated to create 65% of all job opportunities in Somalia, generate 80% of foreign earnings (excluding remittances), and contribute 40% of the total GDP for the country.

Rural communities represent around 60% of the Somali population. An EU-funded project has helped to improve the health of livestock in the production and marketing systems in Somalia. It allowed treatment and immunisation for 6.7 million sheep and goats, to protect against diseases that limit productivity and trade.

Water

Water is a scarce resource in Somalia and EU-financed projects have supported both rural and urban supply systems. This increases access to sustainable water sources through the development of infrastructure, while encouraging the private sector to promote the strong financial and administrative management of public utilities.

Ongoing water projects aim to provide sustainable access to safe water for up to 700,000 people and over 80,000 with basic sanitation, to bring Somalia nearer to achieving MDG 7.

ACT Alliance Alert Reference Number: 15/2013. ACT member The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is planning to provide following assistance to Malian Refugees in the Mbera Camp and HCs: shelters, psychosocial support, nutritional support and agro-pastoral activities.

Mauritania
Assistance to Malian Refugees and Host Communities
Geneva, 7 May 2013

1. Brief description of the emergency and impact

The 2011 drought in the Sahel region has created food insecurity and malnutrition in Mauritania. Government reports confirm that the South-East of the country is the most affected by this natural disaster despite the intervention from different public and private service providers1. In addition, the military operations launched by France and other African countries in January 2013 have led to the increase of Malian refugees hosted in the Mbera Camp. As of April 21, 2013, the total number of Malian refugees in Mbera Camp is 74,452 people2 which include 21,636 refugees arrived between January and March 2013.

The security situation in the South-East Mauritania remains volatile. This is due to the presence of AQMI (Al Qaida au Maghreb Islamique) in the Sahel Region and also to the on-going armed conflict in North Mali. As a consequence of the deteriorating security situation, the Government of Mauritania has declared the Hodh El Charghi region (where Mbera Camp is located) as a military zone. Hence, the Government has increased the number of troops in order to further provide protection to the civilian population, and ensure convoys and escorts to humanitarian organizations.

INTIKANE, Niger, May 7 (UNHCR) – The long column of animals – flanked by men sitting high in the saddle – headed eastwards at a steady pace, raising clouds of dust on the trek towards new pastures.

It may sound like a scene from a Western, but this drama was being played out thousands of miles away and across an ocean in the West African nation of Niger. The cast includes 800 animals, ethnic Tuareg nomads from Mali and the UN refugee agency.

In late April, the caravan of camels, cattle, donkeys, goats, sheep and three horses left the refugee settlement at Agando, about 10 kilometres from the border with Mali, and began the three-day trek to Intikane, a vast area where the Tuaregs will be able to live in an open area and lead their traditional nomadic lifestyle in safety.

All of the 8,000 refugees at Agando and nearby Chinourawen village fled to western Niger with their animals to escape the fighting that erupted in northern Mali early last year or because of continued insecurity or fear of reprisals since January this year, when a French-led counter-attack pushed back rebel forces.

The Niger government's decision to move the Tuaregs to Intikane was based on security grounds: Agando is located just 10 kilometres from the border in an area that remains unstable. It was also a way of letting them lead a more normal life.

"Helping refugees to move their animals will allow them to maintain their livelihoods and to continue living as pastoralists and nomads rather than ending up in a refugee camp dwellers and dependent on aid," noted Karl Steinacker, UNHCR 's representative in Niger.

The Tuaregs were involved in the relocation process from the start. "We held several meetings and we worked out an itinerary," said Mouhamoud Abdoulaye Al Kan Afi. "We were able to go and see Intikane. It is suitable for us and for our animals," added the respected refugee elder, who rode his horse like a young man and was one of the chief herdsmen.

UNHCR brought in local partner, Akarass, to help organize the caravan, which was a major logistical operation. "We worked on every detail: there were water points along the way and food for the herdsmen," said the NGO's Oumarou Danni Saadou, adding that gendarmes on camel-back provided security.

The health of the animals was looked after by a vet, and on arrival at Intikane all the animals were given vaccinations to prevent the spread of disease among livestock owned by the local community.

The three-kilometre-long train of animals arrived in Intikane to a warm reception from the local community. "The refugees and their animals are welcome. What happened to them could happen to anyone," said the village headman, Alghadawi Ilhouda. "We have to support them by sharing our water and pasture," he added in an arid area of scrub and sand.

Some of the Malian herders were delighted to discover that there was a well at Intikane, operated by powerful pumps and generators that had been rehabilitated by UNHCR. "This is simply like rain," said one refugee, Omar Mouhamadou. The 700-metre-deep well also benefits the local community in this part of Niger's Tahoua region, where the Sahel region meets the Sahara.

The Niger government, with help from UNHCR, plans to bring other communities of refugees to safer pastures deeper inside the country over the coming weeks. But unlike the animals and their drovers, most of the refugees will make the journey on convoys prepared by UNHCR's partner, the International Organization for Migration.

UNHCR is protecting and assisting some 50,000 Malian refugees in Niger. They are among more than 175,000 Malian refugees in surrounding countries, including Burkina Faso and Mauritania.

By Bernard Ntwari in Intikane, Niger

Overview of the humanitarian situation

Mali continues to be simultaneously hit by the impact of the conflict in the north and the consequences of the food crisis of 2012, a response which was disrupted by the political and security situation.

While humanitarian access remains restricted in the north due to a volatile security environment, the needs are great for communities affected for over a year by this complex crisis that is likely to worsen in the coming months. A panel of food security experts just announced that northern Mali is in a situation of food 'crisis', and will go to ‘emergency’ in less than two months if access to populations doesn’t improve and food assistance is not increased.

On the other hand the movement of population is continuing, with a current estimate of the number of internally displaced persons at more than 280,000 and 175,000 Malian refugees in neighbouring countries. Presently, the situation in northern Mali does not allow the massive return of displaced persons and refugees.

Despite the scale of needs and the urgency of the situation, the humanitarian response remains largely under- funded, and Oxfam has only secured a quarter of the funds necessary to meet the basic needs in food security and livelihoods, water and sanitation and protection.

May 7, 2013

LONDON, U.K. — Somalis and Somali refugees will receive lifesaving humanitarian assistance from Canada, announced Ted Opitz, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre, while participating in the Conference on Somalia today in London, United Kingdom.

"Canada is lending a helping hand to address the immediate needs of the most vulnerable people in Somalia, as well as of Somali refugees in Kenya," said Mr. Opitz. "Canadian values of compassion and concern for those facing acute malnutrition and displacement are expressed in this urgent assistance."

Humanitarian emergencies caused by conflict affect large numbers of people, cause extensive human suffering, are extremely difficult to resolve, and undermine long-term development efforts. Canada's assistance will help provide food, water, and shelter to those most in need.

Canada provides humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable people facing natural disasters and conflicts. Economic Action Plan 2013 reaffirms Canada's commitment to international development investments and humanitarian assistance. The new Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development will maintain the mandate of poverty alleviation and help Canada achieve greater efficiency, accountability, and focus to continue to improve the lives of people in need around the world.

— 30 —

For more information, media should contact:

Daniel Bezalel Richardsen
Press Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation
Telephone: 819-953-6238
Email: danielbezalel.richardsen@acdi-cida.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Telephone: 819-953-6534
Email: media@acdi-cida.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @CIDA_CA

Backgrounder

Canada provides support to Somalis

Canada is providing $3.25 million to assist Somalis facing acute malnutrition and displacement, due to prolonged conflict and widespread food insecurity.

Canada will provide $1 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to help improve the health, living conditions and protection of internally displaced and other crisis- affected people. These funds will help provide:

• Emergency shelter to approximately 20,000 internally displaced households;
• Essential household items to some 90,000 households;
• Protection and support to internally displaced survivors of sexual and gender based violence; and
• Support to approximately 100,000 displaced households to voluntarily return to areas of origin.

Canada will also provide $2.25 million to help improve the health and livelihoods of crisis-affected people. These funds will help provide:

• General food rations and other essential items for up to 120,000 people;
• Improved access to safe potable water for up to 384,000 people;
• Medical treatment to some 22,000 children suffering from severe malnutrition; and
• Agricultural and livestock support for up to 360,000 people.

Humanitarian Situation

An estimated 2.1 million people (or 25 percent of the population) require immediate humanitarian assistance, and a further 1.7 million people remain on the brink of crisis, with all reserves depleted and vulnerable to the slightest shock. Malnutrition rates in many areas of the country remain above the 15 percent emergency threshold. More than 70 percent of the population is without reliable access to safe water. In addition, more than one million Somalis remain internally displaced, and a further one million have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.

Niamey (Niger), 6 May 2013 – On Monday, the European Union and UNICEF signed a financial agreement worth 9.5 million euro (6.2 billion CFA Francs) to fight against child malnutrition in Niger. This four-year project will be part of the fast track initiative for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Niger (Initiative d’accélération des Objectifs du millénaire pour le développement au Niger, IAOMD). The project will be implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health and local communities in eight departments of Tahoua, Maradi and Zinder regions. It will target 801.000 children and 844.000 women of child-bearing age living in municipalities with high rates of chronic malnutrition.

Poor nutrition is one of the most critical and unnecessary tragedy of our time. Children become victims of a vicious circle where poverty, illness, inadequate nutrition and absence of drinkable water, sanitation and hygiene provide them with least opportunities for a good start in life. In Niger, chronic malnutrition affects nearly one in two children and represents a major challenge to national development considering the large vulnerable population.

"The first 1.000 days, between conception and the age of 2, are the most critical period for children’s physical and mental growth, ” said Guido Cornale, Unicef Niger Representative,. “We must ensure that children are protected from malnutrition so that they can realize their rights to survival and development and contribute to the growth of human capital in the country. In this regard, the European Union is providing us with the means of action”.

The European Union also recognizes the benefits of a multisectoral and integrated response to child needs and the importance to expand it at its most. “Niger has recognized the problem and it is committed to fight against. We are determined to mobilize all mechanisms at our disposal to support the country in its effort to improve child nutrition and thus enhance the resilience of the population”, said Ambassador Hans-Peter Schadek, Chief of the EU’s Delegation to Niger. “These funding, which exceed our initial 10thEuropean Development Fund, showcases a tangible example”, the Ambassador added.

The EU funding will focus on activities already experimented in Niger such as community mobilization and behavior change on maternal and infant nutrition; essential family practices, including birth spacing; nutrition education; market gardening; sanitation, hygiene and strengthening of health services. It will also include the distribution of micronutrient supplementation and adequate food complements, improve access to water, and promote growth at community level. Health services will be sustained and strengthened in order to provide quality pre-natal and post-natal care.

For more information please contact:
Anne Boher, UNICEF Niger.
Tel.: +227 96962159;
Email: aboher@unicef.org

Maïtourare Boulama, Délégation UE, Niger.
Tel.: +227 20732773 ;
Email: Mahamadou-maitourare.boulama@ec.europa.eu