Millet, maize, and sorghum are the most important food commodities for household consumption. Millet is the staple of the most vulnerable households, while maize and sorghum also contribute to the food basket of a majority of all households. Sankaryare market is the largest and most important market in Ouagadougou and supplies other markets within the country and region. Koudougou is located in one of the most populated areas in the country, where a majority of households depend on the market for their food needs. Djibo is in the highly vulnerable Sahelian zone. Pouytenga is an assembly market for products from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, and Togo. Solenzo is a rural market located in the middle of a surplus production zone. Bobo Dioulasso is important center for both consumption and production – it functions as both the economic capital of Burkina Faso and is located in an important cereal production zone.

Maize, rice, and cassava are the most important food commodities. Markets selected represent the entire geographic length of the country: two markets in each of the north, center, and south. In the north, Karonga is one of the most active markets in maize and rice and is influenced by informal cross-border trade with Tanzania. Mzimba is a major maize producing area in the northern region. Salima, in the center along the lake, is an important market where some of the fishing populations are almost entirely dependent on the market for staple cereals. Mitundu is a very busy peri-urban market in Lilongwe. In the south, the Lunzu market is the main supplier of food commodities such as maize and rice for Blantyre. The Bangula market in Nsanje district was chosen to represent the Lower Shire area, covering Chikwawa and Nsanje districts.

GOUDEBOU, Burkina Faso, July 29 (UNHCR) – Hundreds of Malian refugees voted in exile at the weekend in the presidential election in their home country, way down on the numbers eligible to cast a ballot.

All told, almost 7 million Malians were eligible to vote for the 27 candidates contesting Sunday's election, the first since conflict erupted in Mali in January last year between government forces and various rebel groups, who were beaten earlier this year following the military intervention of France.

Almost 10,300 of the 173,000 refugees in the neighbouring countries of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mauritania were on the civil registry and eligible to vote. Only about 1,220 voted on election day with humanitarian and practical help from UNHCR and the host countries, but final figures will not be available for several days.

Many of those who did vote said they saw it as a unique opportunity to help bring a brighter future to Mali and pave the way for their eventual return in safety. "These elections bring hope for us Malian refugees, because we have lost so much and a new elected president could help alleviate our suffering," said 45-year-old Aminata, one of the 323 refugees to vote in Niger.

But some others were frustrated by administrative and bureaucratic obstacles they encountered. These led to many being excluded from casting their vote. To vote, eligible refugees needed to present a biometric ID card (NINA card) with their details. They also needed documentation showing their names and photographs on the electoral lists. Many had one or the other, but not both.

"I registered with the Malian authorities when they came to the camp in June, and my name was found on the civil registry but I never received my NINA card," said a disappointed Rhissa, aged 23, in Burkina Faso's Goudebou camp.

Determined to vote, some refugees travelled directly to Mali to collect their NINA cards – like Jarrou Ag Ahmed, who fled to Burkina Faso from Gossi in northern Mali with his wife and nine children in January 2012.

"I drove back to Gossi on my motorcycle last week to check on my shop and the authorities gave me 19 NINA cards to distribute to the appropriate refugees in Goudebou camp," he explained. "The trip took me a day-and-a-half each way. On Sunday, he and his wife proudly voted at a polling station near the camp. They both hope the election of a new president will restore security and political stability in Mali.

Ibrahima was not as lucky. The 24-year-old received the news that his NINA card was with his parents in the northern Mali town of Kidal. "But it was just too dangerous for me to return there to collect it," he said, referring to recurrent instability in the city over the past few months.

But the head of UNHCR's office in the northern Burkina Faso town of Dori said that even though many refuges had not voted, it was an important moment for those who were able to cast their ballot.

"These elections are important for the Malian refugees, they feel it is a right and a duty for them," said Marie Louise Kabre. "It is also a sign of renewal, a sign of reconciliation in Mali. Refugees were ready to vote, they got mobilized very early in the morning to be able to vote."

In Mauritania, only 811 Malian refugees voted on Sunday out of the more than 8,500 who were identified on the electoral database. In Burkina Faso, out of 1,014 refugees whose names were confirmed on the civil registry, only 85 in the end voted.

UNHCR's role in these elections was strictly humanitarian and non-political. The agency informed refugees about the electoral process, facilitated their participation and helped ensure the voluntary nature of the electoral process in a safe environment.

By Hélène Caux in Goudebou, Burkina Faso. Dalia Al Achi in Mauritania and Amaria Belaskri in Niger contributed to this article.

In the East Batha region, in Chad, located at the heart of the Sahel and badly affected by food insecurity, ACTED is mobilised to help the most vulnerable populations. In order to give long-term solutions to food security problems, ACTED is supporting 35 villages in the set up of kitchen gardens. In each village, several vulnerable households have come together to create a cooperative. Seed and tools have been distributed and are necessary to start a kitchen garden, access to water has been guaranteed and trainings have been conducted, with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID/OFDA).

Reaping the fruits

Habsita lives in the village of Tchakani, where one of the kitchen gardens was developed. She is 39 years old, married and has eight children. She often finds it difficult to feed eight mouths. In 2012, Habsita had to borrow money during the lean period, when stocks were depleted and prices on the markets are high, in order to feed her family. She then had to use all the earnings from the cereal harvest to repay her debt.

Habsita is now part of a group of 25 people that are harvesting a plot of land of one hectare on the edge of the river Batha. The group is working hard, under the scorching sun, to grow carrots, lettuce and other vegetables that will help them cover their needs during the lean period.

Habsita is very eager to continue working on the kitchen garden: “The kitchen garden changed my life and can already see the result of my efforts. I am proud to learn and to be able to produce rather than depend on others.” With her child on her back, Habsita is tirelessly working in the field. “work in the field is hard, and not many people can do it. I am hoping that we can continue to work as a cooperative.”

In a region where agriculture is showing very meager outputs because of severe shocks, the development of kitchen gardens is one step ahead towards resilience. By varying their food sources, households are improving their food security and nutrition situation. Step by step, communities are reinforcing their livelihoods: “At the end of this year’s work, I will be able to go through the rainy season without having to borrow money because the harvest will be good,” concludes Habsita.

The sun is just rising over Diabaly, Mali, but the 17 members of Handicap International’s weapons clearance team are already well into their work day. When lives are at stake, every hour counts.

Following months of fighting between rebel forces and the Malian army, the towns and villages along the road between Ségou to Timbuktu are littered with abandoned weapons and explosives, each packed with deadly potential. Over the course of just one month, the team found 475 explosive devices and 5,522 small arms. These weapons threaten the lives of civilians who are returning from home to communities that were turned into battle zones. Children, naturally curious about unfamiliar objects, face the greatest risk of being injured or killed by explosives.

“Our team members are driven by a desire to help Mali get back on its feet,” says Sophie Dechaux, the manager of Handicap International’s conventional weapons risk reduction project in Mali. “Most of our team members are Malians and they’re here because they want to help their country turn the page on the conflict. They’re supported by experienced deminers, trained by Handicap International in other parts of Africa, including Senegal and Congo.”

The team is currently working on a former military base that was briefly occupied by rebel fighters, who abandoned the site in a hurry and left behind weapons. “This base is close to the market and the canal where people come to wash,” says Adrien Ousmane Ngom, the head of the demining team in Diabaly. “That’s why we’re clearing this site first.”

“Today, for example, we neutralized a 107MM rocket,” says Adrien. “If it had exploded, the shrapnel could have killed anyone within a 1,000-foot radius.”

PREVENTING ACCIDENTS THROUGH EDUCATION

In addition to clearing weapons, educating civilians about the risks posed by abandoned arms and explosives is crucial to preventing accidents. In June, a shepherd found a rocket and made the mistake of bringing it home. His children decided to play with it and it exploded, killing a four-year-old and injuring four others.

“These people haven’t come across these sorts of weapons before,” says Sophie Dechaux. “It’s totally new to them, so it’s essential to provide clear information on the risks and how avoid accidents if they encounter weapons.” Handicap International has been organizing risk education sessions in schools and public awareness events for the past year.

Highlights

 Out of 200,000 pregnant and lactating women targeted in UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC 2013), 171,803 women or 86% of the target received information and counseling on IYCF in first 6 months of the year.

 61.35 percent of targeted Malian refugee children under 5 received measles vaccination in first 6 months.

 104 unaccompanied/separated children (71 in Goudebou and 33 in Mentao) have been reported. Those in Mentao are benefiting from follow up visits while those of Goudebou need to be located due to the “addressing” exercise that has just been initiated by UNHCR.

 2,294 children, including 910 girls will benefit from the catch-up classes beginning on 29 July until September. A bridging programme (accelerated school curriculum programme) and vocational training will be offered in the camps as alternatives to formal education from September onwards

Le mil, le maïs, le niébé et le riz importé sont les produits alimentaires les plus importants consommés au Niger. Le mil est consommé aussi bien par les ménages ruraux que les ménages pauvres urbains dans l’ensemble du pays. Le maïs et le riz importé sont plus importants pour les ménages urbains, tandis que le niébé est principalement consommé par les ménages pauvres des régions rurales et urbaines en tant que source de protéine. Niamey est le marché national le plus important et un centre du commerce international ; elle approvisionne en outre les ménages urbains. Tillaberi est aussi un centre urbain approvisionnant les localités environnantes. Le marché de Gaya est le principal marché urbain pour le maïs avec des liens transfrontaliers. Maradi, Tounfafi et Diffa sont des marchés de regroupement régionaux et des marchés transfrontaliers pour le Niger et d’autres pays de la région. C'est dans ces marchés que vont régulièrement acheter leur nourriture les ménages et les éleveurs des régions déficitaires en céréales du nord.

Agadez et Zinder sont également d’importants marchés nationaux et régionaux. Nguigmi et Abalak se trouvent dans des zones pastorales, où la population dépend largement des marchés céréaliers pour leur approvisionnement alimentaire. Ces deux marchés sont particulièrement importants pendant la saison des pluies, lorsque les éleveurs sont confinés dans la zone pastorale

Le sorgho, le mil, le maïs blanc et le riz local et d’importation sont les produits alimentaires les plus importants. La consommation de mil est la plus forte dans les régions est et nord du pays. Le riz local est un autre produit alimentaire de base, en particulier pour les ménages plus pauvres. Le riz importé et le maïs blanc sont le plus couramment consommés dans la capitale et ses environs. Le marché d'Atrone à N’Djamena, la capitale, est le marché le plus important pour les céréales. Moundou est un important centre de consommation pour le sorgho et le deuxième marché en importance après la capitale. Le marché d’Abéché est situé dans une zone de production au nord. Le marché de Sarh est à la fois un marché de détail local et un marché transfrontalier.

Le mil, le riz et le sorgho constituent les aliments de base de la majorité de la population malienne. Le mil est l'aliment le plus consommé traditionnellement, mais depuis 2005 le riz est devenu un substitut populaire chez les ménages urbains. Le sorgho est généralement plus important pour les ménages ruraux que pour les ménages urbains. Les marchés inclus sont révélateurs des conditions locales dans leurs régions respectives. Ségou est l’un des marchés les plus importants tant pour le pays que pour la région, dans la mesure où il se trouve dans une très vaste zone de production de céréales. Bamako, la capitale et le centre urbain le plus étendu du pays, fonctionne comme un marché de regroupement. Elle reçoit des céréales de Koulikoro, Ségou et Sikasso destinées à la consommation et fait également office de marché de regroupement pour les échanges avec les régions nord du pays (Kayes et Koulikoro) et avec la Mauritanie. Les marchés des régions déficitaires du pays (Tombouctou et Gao) reçoivent leurs approvisionnements en mil et en riz de Mopti, Ségou et Sikasso

Le mil, le maïs et le sorgho sont les produits alimentaires les plus importants pour la consommation ménagère. Le mil est le produit de base des ménages les plus vulnérables, tandis que le maïs et le sorgho contribuent aussi au panier alimentaire de la majorité des autres ménages.

Le marché de Sankaryare est le plus vaste et le plus important d’Ouagadougou; il approvisionne d’autres marchés du pays et dans la région. Koudougou se trouve dans l'une des régions les plus peuplées du pays, où une majorité des ménages dépend du marché pour son ravitaillement alimentaire. Djibo se situe dans la zone sahélienne, hautement vulnérable. Pouytenga est un marché de regroupement pour les produits du Nigeria, du Ghana, du Bénin et du Togo. Solenzo est un marché rural situé au milieu d’une zone de production excédentaire. Bobo Dioulasso est un important centre tant pour la consommation que pour la production : elle fait office de capitale économique du Burkina-Faso et se trouve dans une importante zone de production céréalière.

Le riz local et le sorgho sont les produits alimentaires les plus consommés par les ménages pauvres de la Mauritanie suivis par le blé importé qui est l'aliment de substitution auquel ces ménages recourent le plus. Le riz local est cultivé dans la vallée du fleuve (dans le sud des régions du Trarza, du Brakna, du Gorgol et du Guidimakha). Le sorgho est produit dans toutes les zones de production (sorgho pluvial) et dans les walo et barrages (sorgho de décrue). Toutefois, une importante partie est importée du Mali et du Sénégal. La Mauritanie vit beaucoup plus de ses importations (70 % en bonne année agricole et jusqu'à 85 % en mauvaise année) que de sa production interne. Nouakchott est le principal marché de collecte pour les produits venant de l'extérieur et également le marché de distribution où viennent s'approvisionner les animateurs des marchés de distribution secondaire que sont les autres marchés référenciés. L'huile de cuisson est essentiellement consommée dans les zones urbaines. La vente des animaux est une mode d’existence dans toutes les zones et une importante source de revenus et de nourriture.

Millet, rice, and sorghum constitute the basic staple foods for the majority of the Malian population. Millet has traditionally been the most widely consumed, but since 2005 rice has become a popular substitute in urban households. Sorghum is generally more important for rural than urban households. Markets included are indicative of local conditions within their respective regions. Ségou is one of the most important markets for both the country and region because it is located in a very large grain production area.
Bamako, the capital and largest urban center in the country, functions as an assembly market. It receives cereals from Koulikoro, Ségou, and Sikasso for consumption and also acts as an assembly market for trade with the northern regions of the country (Kayes and Koulikoro) and Mauritania. Markets in the deficit areas of the country (Timbuktu and Gao) receive their supplies of millet and rice from Mopti, Ségou and Sikasso.

Sorghum, maize, millet, cowpea, gari (fermented cassava starch), and rice are all found in Nigerian markets. Sorghum, millet and maize are widely consumed by most households, but especially in the north, and are used by various industries. Maize is mainly used by the poultry industry as a raw material for feed while sorghum is used by breweries for producing beverages. Sorghum and millet are important for households in the north, particularly the border markets where millet is also heavily traded with Niger. Gari is widely consumed by households in the south and some in the north. Rice is produced and consumed throughout the country. The north is a major production and consumption area for cowpea which flows to the south for use by households and food processing industries. Ilela, Maidua, and Damasak are all critical cross-border markets with Niger. Saminaka, Giwa, Dandume, and Kaura are important grain markets in the north, which are interconnected with the Dawanu market in Kano, the largest wholesale market in West Africa, and some southern markets such as the Bodija market in Ibadan. Millet, sorghum, maize, and cowpea are among the most important cereals traded at Dawanu, while cassava and some cereals are traded with Bodija.

Local rice and sorghum are the most consumed food products by poor households in Mauritania followed by imported wheat which is a substitute that these households turn to the most. Local rice is grown in the river valley (in the southern regions of Trarza, Brakna, Gorgol and Guidimakha). Sorghum is produced in all areas of production (rainfed) and in flood-recession areas. However, a significant portion is imported from Mali and Senegal. Mauritania depends greatly on food imports (70% in a good agricultural year and 85% in a bad year) than on internal production. Nouakchott is the principal collection market for imported products and also the distribution market where traders acquire supplies for the secondary markets referenced below. Cooking oil is consumed mainly in urban areas. The sale of animals is a lifestyle in all areas and an important source of income and food.

Millet, maize, cowpea, and imported rice are the most important food commodities. Millet is consumed by both rural and poor urban households throughout the country. Maize and imported rice are most important for urban households, while cowpea is mainly consumed by poor households in rural and urban areas as a protein source. Niamey is the most important national market and an international trade center, and also supplies urban households. Tillaberi is also an urban center that supplies the surrounding area. Gaya market represents a main urban market for maize with crossborder connections. Maradi, Tounfafi, and Diffa are regional assembly and cross-border markets for Niger and other countries in the region. These are markets where households and herders coming from the northern cereal deficit areas regularly buy their food. Agadez and Zinder are also important national and regional markets. Nguigmi and Abalak are located in pastoral areas, where people are heavily dependent on cereal markets for their food supply. They are particularly important during the rainy season, when herders are confined to the pastoral zone.

Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to remain the most food-insecure region over the next decade.

Abstract

Food insecurity in the 76 countries included in this report (low- and middle-income countries as classified by the World Bank that are or have been receiving food aid and are experiencing or have experienced food insecurity)is expected to remain virtually unchanged, but with some distributional changes, between 2012 and 2013. The total number of food-insecure people is estimated at 707 million in 2013, up 3 million from 2012. Over the longer term, the food security situation is projected to deteriorate.
Food-insecure people are defined as those consuming less than the nutritional target of roughly 2,100 calories per day per person. By 2023, the number of food-insecure people is projected to increase nearly 23 percent to 868 million, slightly faster than population growth. As a result, the share of the population that is food insecure is projected to increase from 20.4 percent to 21.5 percent. The distribution gap—the amount of additional food needed to bring people in all income deciles up to the nutritional target—is projected to increase 28 percent by 2023, meaning that food insecurity in these countries is expected to intensify over the next 10 years. Despite improvements over the years, Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to remain the most food-insecure region in the world.

West Africa can be divided into three agro-ecological zones or three different trade basins (West Basin, Central Basin and East Basin). Both important for understanding market behavior and dynamics.

The three major agro-ecological zones are the Sahelian, the Sudanese and the Coastal zones where production and consumption can be easily classified. (1) In the Sahelian zone, millet is the principal cereal cultivated and consumed particularly in rural areas and increasingly, when accessible, in urban areas. Exceptions include Cape Verde where maize and rice are most important, Mauritania where sorghum and maize are staples, and Senegal with rice. The principal substitutes in the Sahel are sorghum, rice, and cassava flour (Gari), the latter two in times of shortage. (2) In the Sudanese zone (southern Chad, central Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, southern Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Serra Leone, Liberia) maize and sorghum constitute the principal cereals consumed by the majority of the population. They are followed by rice and tubers, particularly cassava and yam. (3) In the Coastal zone, with two rainy seasons, yam and maize constitute the most important food products. They are supplemented by cowpea, which is a significant source of protein.

The three trade basins are known as the West, Central, and East basins. In addition to the north to south movement of particular commodities, certain cereals flow horizontally. (1) The West basin refers to Mauritania, Senegal, western Mali, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and The Gambia where rice is most heavily traded. (2) The Central basin consists of Côte d'Ivoire, central and eastern Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Togo where maize is commonly traded. (3) The East basin refers to Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Benin where millet is traded most frequently. These three trade basins are shown on the map above.

L'Afrique de l’Ouest peut être divisée en trois zones agro-écologiques ou en trois bassins commerciaux (bassins de l’ouest, bassin du centre, bassin de l’est). Les deux sont importants pour l'interprétation du comportement et de la dynamique du marché.

Les trois principales zones agro-écologiques incluent la zone Sahélienne, la zone Soudanaise et la zone Côtière où la production et la consommation peuvent être facilement classifiées. Dans la zone Sahélienne, le mil constitue le principal produit alimentaire cultivé et consommé en particulier dans les zones rurales et de plus en plus par certaines populations qui y ont accès en milieux urbains. Des exceptions sont faites pour le Cap Vert où le maïs et le riz sont les produits les plus importants, la Mauritanie où le blé et le sorgho et le Sénégal où le riz constituent des aliments de base. Les principaux produits de substitution dans le Sahel sont le sorgho, le riz, et la farine de manioc (Gari), avec les deux derniers en période de crise.Dans la zone Soudanienne (le sud du Tchad, le centre du Nigéria, du Bénin, du Ghana, du Togo, de la Côte d'Ivoire, le sud du Burkina Faso, du Mali, du Sénégal, la Guinée Bissau, la Serra Leone, le Libéria) le maïs et le sorgho constituent les principales céréales consommées par la majorité de la population. Suivent après le riz et les tubercules particulièrement le manioc et l’igname. (3) Dans la zone côtière, avec deux saisons de pluie, l’igname et le maïs constituent les principaux produits alimentaires. Ils sont complétés par le niébé, qui est une source très significative de protéines.

Les trois bassins commerciaux sont simplement connus sous les noms de bassin Ouest, Centre, et Est. En plus du mouvement du sud vers le nord des produits, les flux de certaines céréales se font aussi horizontalement. (1) Le bassin Ouest comprend la Mauritanie, le Sénégal, l’ouest du Mali, la Sierra Leone, la Guinée, le Libéria, et la Gambie où le riz est le plus commercialisé.

(2) Le bassin central se compose de la Côte d'Ivoire, le centre et l’est du Mali, le Burkina Faso, le Ghana, et le Togo où le maïs est généralement commercialisé. (3) Le bassin Est se rapporte au Niger, Nigéria, Tchad, et Bénin où le millet est le plus fréquemment commercialisé. Ces trois bassins commerciaux sont distingués sur la carte ci-dessus.

29 juillet 2013 – Après 18 mois de crise au Mali, la participation pour le premier tour des élections présidentielles organisé le 28 juillet aurait été « massive », a indiqué lundi un porte-parole des Nations Unies.

Si les chiffres officiels n'ont pas encore été communiqués, la participation serait plus forte que lors des rendez-vous électoraux organisés au cours des vingt dernières années. Le scrutin s'est en outre déroulé dans le calme et la sécurité.

Des disparités ont néanmoins été signalées, avec une plus forte mobilisation dans le sud que dans le nord, ainsi que des différences notable à l'intérieur même de la région du nord.

A Kidal, suite aux contretemps générés par les négociations avec l'administration pour l'organisation du scrutin, très peu de gens ont pu voter car l'enregistrement des électeurs s'est fait très tardivement. De nombreuses personnes n'ont en outre pas pu trouver leur nom sur les listes.

Dans la région de Gao, le vote s'est en revanche beaucoup mieux déroulé, à l'exception de deux communes où le vote n'a pas eu lieu suite à la menace du Mouvement national de libération de l'Azawad (MNLA). A Tombouctou, la situation était satisfaisante.

Pour l'ONU la crédibilité de ces élections dépend de trois conditions : la bonne participation des citoyens maliens, le déroulement des élections dans la sécurité ainsi que de l'acceptation des résultats.

Le Représentant spécial du Secrétaire général pour le Mali, Bert Konders, a rencontré ce lundi les principaux candidats à l'élection pour discuter des prochaines étapes du scrutin.

« Le résultat de ces élections devra être respecté et les éventuelles plaintes examinées selon les moyens légaux à disposition », a conclu le porte-parole de l'ONU.

07/30/2013 02:27 GMT

by Thibauld Malterre

KIDAL, July 30, 2013 (AFP) - After the first round of Mali's presidential elections, Tuareg rebels confined to camps in the north are preparing to discuss the future of their vast desert homeland with the country's new leader.

Yet in Kidal, a remote town on an ancient Saharan trading route from where the light-skinned, turban-clad warriors have staged four revolts since the 1960s, long-term peace is a distant dream.

Voting for the next head-of-state went ahead without incident in the Tuareg stronghold, 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) north-east of Bamako, near the Algerian border.

But local people were hardly engaged with the ballot: turnout was estimated by the election commission at 12 percent in the district.

Many Tuareg -- whose families have worked the trans-Saharan caravan routes for hundreds of years -- want nothing less than complete independence for Azawad. That is the name they give to the northern desert that makes up nearly two-thirds of Mali.

"We expect that the next president to begin talks with us in line with what was envisaged in Ouagadougou," said Sidi Mohammed Ag Sarid, homeland security spokesman for the rebel National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA). He was referring to the June ceasefire deal signed with the government in the Burkinabe capital.

The Ouagadougou accords provide for the launch of an "inclusive dialogue" between the new Malian administration and the rebels, 60 days after the new cabinet is formed.

"Ibrahim Boubacar Keita may be the man for the job, given his past," Sarid said of the former prime minister who has a clear early lead according to unofficial estimates of the first round vote.

"He has never been responsible for acts that have harmed Azawad."

The MNLA and the High Council for the Unity of Azawad (HCUA), another Tuareg signatory to the ceasefire deal, have their troops confined to camps in Kidal, as envisaged by the agreement.

But they are taking a somewhat liberal approach to how they should interpret "confined", a Malian army officer told AFP.

"In accordance with the Ouagadougou agreement, we don't go out in town armed or in uniform," says Moulay Ag Kassoundi, head of the HCUA camp, which includes former members of the Islamist militant group Ansar Dine.

"But how can you remain confined to camps without water, electricity or food? We have received nothing for the past month and so combatants have to come and go in search of food."

Out of more than 600 fighters claimed to be in the ranks of the HCUA, only a few dozen were present at the camp when AFP visited.

It was the same situation for the MNLA, which claims a similar manpower: but it is impossible to get a real idea of the size of the force, with fighters constantly moving from one unit to another.

-- "Scores to settle with Kidal" --

"I'm concerned," said HCUA secretary-general Mohammed Ag Intalla, son of the chief of the Ifoghas clan, the most influential Tuareg tribe.

"We came up with the Ouagadougou agreement, but it has not been applied.

"It envisaged the release of prisoners, which has not happened, and the confinement to camps has not been done properly," he added.

"If we cannot apply a little deal like this, how can we hope to see a wide-ranging agreement respected?"

When they are out and about in Kidal, the Tuareg rebels sometimes cross paths with Malian army patrols: there have been 150 government soldiers in the town since the start of July.

It is always a tense encounter, with each side, flying its own flag, accusing the other of provocation.

Graffiti cover the walls across Kidal, proclaiming "Azawad" and "We are not Malians". This is the capital of a region awash with arms and which was largely beyond government control before July.

"The Malian army goes around the city, out of control. It is a threat to security," says rebel commander Moulay Ag Kassoundi.

"When they see us, they try to chase us. They know we are rebels against the Malian government."

The army is still nursing its wounds after being routed last year in Kidal and other northern settlements by Tuareg rebels and their onetime Islamist allies.

Relations between the majority black communities in Mali and the Tuareg and Arab minorities are strained, but the rebels insist they are not interested in ethnic conflict.

"We have nothing against the Malian army -- which includes many ethnic groups with which we have no problem -- but against individuals who have scores to settle with the people of Kidal under cover of the state of Mali," says Mohammed Ag Intalla, referring to the men of Colonel Alaji Ag Gamou, a Tuareg unit loyal to the government in Bamako.

"We have gone after Colonel Gamou's militia. They have returned and want revenge," says Ama Ag Midy, coordinator of the MNLA camp.

"They mistreat women, they have gone into people's homes, arrested people without reason."

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