Regional Protection Dialogue and Tripartite Meeting: Abuja 6-9, June 2016

UNHCR Nigeria in collaboration with the UNHCR regional office in Dakar and in partnership with the Nigerian Ministry of Interior held the first Regional Protection Dialogue on the Lake Chad Basin region on the 6-8th June 2016 in Abuja at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.
Participants at the dialogue included official government delegations from Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria and also included participants from UN agencies, embassies, INGOs and academics.
The program structure entailed five technical sessions conducted by experts over the first two days. On the third day the session was chaired by the Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and provided for the presentation of the main conclusions and the Action Statement and their adoptions by the assembled delegations.

The Regional Dialogue was followed by the Tripartite meeting for the Voluntary Repatriation of Nigerian Refugees on the 9th June, with high level delegations from the Government of Nigeria and Cameroon in collaboration with UNHCR Dakar (Regional Office) and UNHCR Nigeria to participate in a review of the proposed Tripartite Agreement between the two countries. Following technical discussions the meeting concluded with the Honorable Minister of Interior, Lt Gen.
Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) and his counterpart in Cameroon, the Minister for Territorial Affairs and Decentralization, Mr. Rene Emmanuel Sadi accepting the Agreement in principle, with the caveat that technical and logistical details should be resolved through the Tripartite Agreement Technical Working Group following scrutiny by both respective heads of Government.

Mariam souffre de malnutrition depuis quelques semaines et a été admise au programme suite à un dépistage organisé par le PAM en partenariat avec la délégation régionale sanitaire du Kanem, laquelle assure la gestion du centre de santé de Nokou. Dans une région où les structures sanitaires et le personnel sont insuffisants, ce centre fait figure d’exception. En bénéficiant de l’appui du Programme alimentaire mondial et de ses bailleurs, il assure la prise en charge de la malnutrition aigüe et modérée pour 125 enfants.

Aicha Nour, 24 ans, est venue du village de Tarfane, une localité isolée sur les dunes de sable à l’entrée du désert du Sahara à 17 km de Nokou, chef-lieu du département du Nord Kanem. Aicha habite dans ce village avec ses beaux-parents. Son mari, un boucher, est parti l’année dernière à N’djamena, la capitale, à la recherche d’un travail. Elle possède 4 chèvres ce qui est un très petit cheptel dans ce village d’éleveurs.

Avant d’arriver au centre de santé de Nokou, Aicha a marché pendant près de deux heures. Mais elle est arrivée à temps pour la distribution d’aliments nutritifs. Pour cette mère de trois enfants (la plus jeune, Mariam, est âgée seulement de 6 mois), il est important de se déplacer malgré la distance : ici, outre les produits nutritionnels, un infirmier est présent et les soins sont gratuits.

Mariam souffre de malnutrition depuis quelques semaines et a été admise au programme suite à un dépistage organisé par le PAM en partenariat avec la délégation régionale sanitaire du Kanem, laquelle assure la gestion du centre de santé de Nokou. Dans une région où les structures sanitaires et le personnel sont insuffisants, ce centre fait figure d’exception. En bénéficiant de l’appui du Programme alimentaire mondial et de ses bailleurs, il assure la prise en charge de la malnutrition aigüe et modérée pour 125 enfants. Chaque enfant reçoit chaque semaine un sachet de 200g d’aliments nutritifs tout comme un suivi régulier pour assurer une guérison totale.

'' Si un bébé est nourri avec des Super Céréales Plus (produit distribué grâce au soutien financier des Etats-Unis), il grandira avec un risque d’exposition aux maladies inférieur. Je suis heureuse que mon bébé ait reçu cet aliment. Je peux rentrer à la maison l’esprit plus tranquille’’, constate Aicha Nour.

Récemment un enfant du village de Tarfane est décédé faute d’avoir été suivi à temps. « Quand un enfant tombe malade, la plupart des parents préfèrent d’abord consulter les guérisseurs traditionnels, explique Brahim Mahamat, responsable du centre de santé de Nokou, et ils arrivent au centre trop tard ». « D’où l’importance de la sensibilisation et de l’organisation régulière de dépistages afin d’identifier les enfants malnutris », poursuit Brahim Mahamat. « Grâce à cela le taux de fréquentation a augmenté ces derniers mois. En ce qui concerne les cas les plus graves avec complications, ils sont référés aux unités nutritionnelles thérapeutiques (UNT) ». Aicha, quant à elle, a pris la bonne décision au bon moment. « Je soigne mon bébé pour qu'il puisse grandir en bonne santé. « Et quand ma fille sera plus grande elle sera médecin » affirme-t-elle en souriant.

Dans une région marquée par l’insécurité alimentaire le PAM et ses partenaires, avec le soutien financier des Etats-Unis, mettent en œuvre en 2016 un programme de prise en charge de la malnutrition aigüe et modérée pour 31 829 enfants dans plus 70 centres de santé de la région du Kanem.

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Le PAM est la plus grande agence humanitaire qui lutte contre la faim dans le monde en distribuant une assistance alimentaire dans les situations d'urgence et en travaillant avec les communautés pour améliorer leur état nutritionnel et renforcer leur résilience. Chaque année, le PAM apporte une assistance à quelque 80 millions de personnes dans près de 75 pays.

The ongoing crisis in South Sudan is aggravating an already fragile socio‐economic context, in which many households are at risk of food insecurity and malnutrition both in rural and urban centers, including in the capital Juba. The South Sudan IPC update for April 2016 estimated that 4.8 million people (40% of the total population) would face severe food insecurity countrywide in the May‐July 2016 lean season period. A high proportion of the food insecure are from the states of Unity, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile and Warrap. The macro-economic downturn occasioned by the protracted crisis and the decline in oil revenues, combined with below‐average harvests in 2015 led to a further increase of food prices and a contraction of income-generating opportunities, hence constraining physical and economic access to food for South Sudan’s poor population, estimated at 60% of the total population as of 2015.

Population in IPC Phases

About 360,000 of the estimated food insecure population are the urban poor in Juba, Wau, and Aweil towns, who are most affected by the economic crisis, diminished livelihood opportunities, and high cost of food. In Central Equatoria, approximately 20% of the population was estimated to be facing severe food insecurity from May to July, the majority of whom are the Juba urban poor. This number is expected to go up following the recent fighting in Juba.

The deterioration of the nutrition situation across South Sudan is equally worrying. The South Sudan Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) shot up drastically from 13% in November/December 2015 to 17.9% in May/June 2016. Seven out of ten states have GAM above the WHO 15% emergency threshold. The GAM in worst-affected two states is above or close to 30%; GAM in Northern Bahr el Ghazal is 33.3% and 26.2% in Unity. The worsening food security situation, high morbidity due to fever, and conflict-related population displacements may further fuel a deteriorating nutrition situation as the above factors disrupt efforts to treat and prevent acute malnutrition.

Results of recent conflict in Juba

Juba is an important commercial and humanitarian logistical hub and recent fighting has resulted in disruptions to key infrastructure that supports livelihoods, destruction of some key markets, and displacement of populations in Juba, with ripple effects across the neighbouring counties. At the height of the recent conflict in Juba, an estimated 36 000 people were displaced, and currently an estimated 15,000 remain displaced without adequate shelter, food, water, or sanitation and hygiene facilities. People that fled their homes in Juba have lost both domestic and productive assets to looting. Livelihoods based on casual labour and petty trade have also been severely affected, further exacerbating the food insecurity situation among the urban poor in Juba.

Already dysfunctional markets in Juba have been disrupted further through the looting of shops and market stalls. Trade in Juba and the neighbouring counties relies on the Nimule--Juba highway for the importation of food commodities and current insecurity along the road is severely affecting the ability of traders to supply markets sufficiently in order to meet food demands. Traders in the most conflict-affected markets have lost their stock and capacity to re-stock, with many foreign traders opting to leave for security reasons. As a consequence of the fighting, immediately after the ceasefire was declared, prices of basic commodities in Juba rose by as high as 45‐80% for legumes, 12‐58% for cereals and 70-80% for fuel. The local currency lost further ground to the US dollar (depreciated by 43%) in the aftermath of the conflict, exchanging at SSP 60/1 US dollar down from SSP 48/1 US dollar a week earlier. South Sudan currently has an inflation rate of over 300% - the highest in the world and a historical high since the country rebased the CPI basket in June 2011.

Impact on humanitarian response

The capacity of humanitarian agencies to respond to the deteriorating food and nutrition security situation has been further compromised by the looting of agencies’ warehouses and insecurity-related staff reductions. This comes as an additional constraint to the inadequate funding which was constraining the humanitarian response in 2016, and alongside low operational capacity and logistical challenges in addressing the growing food and nutritional needs of the vulnerable population. Due to the latest events, international staff evacuation is reducing the UN and NGOs operational capacity and humanitarian air operations for the delivery of assistance to vulnerable populations across the country are expected to scale down in the face of the fluctuating security situation and airport closures.

Looking forward

It is feared that if insecurity spreads to the other parts of the country, the national food security situation will further deteriorate from the current estimated 4.8 million people as a result of disruptions to agricultural production, and livestock and fisheries activities. The reduced capacity of humanitarian organizations to respond to increasing needs, especially if combined with limited accessibility, will further constrain food access for vulnerable.

In the prevailing negative outlook, the only positive mitigating factor is the current cropping season that is benefiting from an average to above average rainy season and timely and widespread coverage of crop input distributions across most agricultural areas in the country. The upcoming green harvest in August and main harvest in November‐December, is expected to mitigate food shortages across the country as well as provide reprieve from high market prices as local produce finds its way into the markets. The rainy season has also resulted in the availability of wild foods, fish and livestock products for most rural populations.

However, any deterioration of an already fragile and tense security situation is likely to restrict access to fishing grounds, farms for crop planting and harvesting, and will push livestock herders into unseasonal migration patterns towards areas that are normally intended for crop production. All these, if unchecked, will lead to a further deterioration of the already fragile food security situation.

Appeal by food security and nutrition partners

The food security and nutrition partners are greatly concerned that disruptions as a result of the recent conflict are escalating an already severe food and nutrition security situation in Juba, particularly among the urban poor. There is an urgent need for the Government to immediately provide and guarantee security in Juba and the neighbouring counties to ensure the smooth flow of goods and services to populations in need, especially the market‐dependent poor, in order to prevent any further deterioration of the dire food security and malnutrition situation. The Government needs to scale up efforts to ensure a sustainably secure environment in the whole country in order to facilitate the successful conclusion of the current cropping season which is expected to improve food security and nutrition as households will rely more on their farm produce and less on markets. Local production also assists urban populations as it replenishes market stocks at a lower cost, slightly easing high food prices. Millions of people already severely food insecure will be impacted if the conflict spreads beyond Juba. Also, it is vital that the Government assures the security and safety of humanitarian agencies, their assets and staff, and allow unrestricted access so that ongoing operations can continue to deliver assistance to the increasingly vulnerable populations.

As a result of the recent developments, food security and nutrition partners are advocating for continued investment in data collection and analysis to inform decision-¬making despite the security and operational constraints. Also the need to monitor at-risk areas – namely Unity and Bahr el Ghazal states that are currently in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) – is vital.

An analysis of all recently collected data will be undertaken in August by the food security and nutrition partners using IPC protocols, and a report of the national food security and nutrition situation will be published. This analysis report will guide humanitarian partners in their planning and response to the evolving food and nutrition insecurity situation.

Heavy fighting erupted in Kidal yesterday around 16:30 between members of both signatory movements of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali. Heavy weapons, including mortars, were used during confrontations.

MINUSMA strongly condemns these clashes which are in violation of the cease-fire and calls those responsible to immediately end hostilities and fulfill their commitment in accordance with all agreements signed by their movements. MINUSMA deeply regrets that these battles have endangered civilians.

MINUSMA has taken steps to protect civilian population and defend its mandate and will use all necessary means in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2295 (2016).

MINUSMA urges the leaders of both signatory movements to secure without delay the return to calm; to ensure the respect everywhere across Mali of their commitment and obligations in terms of protection of civilians in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and applicable international law.

MINUSMA is committed to supporting an independent investigation to determine those responsible.

The security situation in south-eastern Niger continues to deteriorate due to a growing number of attacks by Boko Haram. Since the first Boko Haram attack on the Nigerien territory in February 2015 to date, several other incursions have been reported in the region. These attacks have caused the internal displacement of thousands of people. As a consequence, the humanitarian needs in the region have increased, in a context characterized by limited resources for an adequate response and by localized access challenges

Since 2015, the Emergency Relief Coordinator has released more than US$80 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for life-saving assistance in response to Boko Haram-related violence. Some $27.2 million was allocated in March 2015 to responses in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria to assist more than 1.6 million internally displaced people, refugees, returnees and host communities; $31 million was provided in late 2015 and early 2016 for live-saving humanitarian response for more than 700,000 affected people in the Lake Chad Basin region; and $23 million was allocated in June to assist 250,000 newly accessible people in Chad and north eastern Nigeria.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Fighting in Juba left hundreds of people dead or injured and tens of thousands displaced.

• Sharp increase in suspected cholera cases.

• The number of South Sudanese people seeking shelter and safety in Uganda has risen significantly.

• One aid worker killed during fighting in Buaw, Koch County.

• Partners face challenges to meet growing needs in and around Wau.

Thousands displaced by fighting in Juba

Fighting in Juba, South Sudan’s capital, from 7 to 11 July left hundreds of people dead or injured and tens of thousands displaced.

Estimates by humanitarian partners indicate that more than 36,000 people were displaced at the height of the fighting and sought shelter in various locations throughout Juba, including the UNMISS base in Tongping, UN House in Jebel, WFP compound, ADRA compound, and churches and schools across the city. Most of the displaced were women and children.

While many of the displaced have since left the collective sites, as of 20 July, humanitarians estimated that more than 15,000 people remained displaced, including more than 10,800 in the UNMISS sites and more than 4,200 outside. This comes in addition to the more than 28,000 people sheltering in the UN Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites within the country’s capital prior to the recent outbreak of fighting.

During the fighting, there were reports of targeted and indiscriminate attacks affecting civilians, and there are ongoing reports of sexual and gender-based violence against women IDPs. “It is tragic that civilians, including those forced to flee their homes during this latest round of fighting, continue to suffer immensely at a time when there were high hopes of a return to stability in South Sudan,” said Mr. Eugene Owusu, Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan.

Humanitarian organizations have responded in locations with the highest needs, including distributing clean water, high energy biscuits, nutritional supplements, sanitary items and vital household items, including blankets and mosquito nets; re-supplying vital medicines and undertaking health consultations; supporting family tracing and reunification; and undertaking protection monitoring to identify and support the most vulnerable.

However, during and after the clashes, humanitarian facilities, compounds and warehouses - including a maternity ward in a Protection of Civilians site - were hit by shelling and gunfire, attacked or looted, and humanitarian staff came under attack. A national staff member of Internews, John Gatluak Manguet Nhial, was killed.

“We are very concerned that there is continuing violence, sexual violence against women and girls, and attacks against United Nations humanitarian facilities, and looting of humanitarian assistance which should be used for many hundreds of thousands of people. The looting by SPLA of WFP warehouses - stealing all the food, which was meant for at least 220,000 people - this is totally unacceptable. We ask for accountability and those perpetrators should be held accountable,” said UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, on 21 July.

In addition to the WFP warehouse, an FAO warehouse was ransacked and stocks of seeds and tools earmarked to help food insecure people across the country save their livelihoods, were looted.

Read more: - HC statement: http://bit.ly/29PIDjq; - WFP press release: http://bit.ly/2azSQO0; - FAO press release: http://bit.ly/29LcZPz; - Internews in Memoriam page: http://bit.ly/29NWJ3T

SOUTH SUDAN RESPONSE UPDATE

• An estimated 4.8 million people throughout South Sudan are facing grave food insecurity and require urgent humanitarian assistance. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update (April 2016), this is a significant increase from the first quarter of 2016 and the same period last year. The highest proportions of populations in Crisis, Emergency and Catastrophe were recorded in Northern and Western Bahr el Ghazal, and Unity States. The Greater Upper Nile also remains structurally fragile and vulnerable as a result of the protracted conflict.
• The conflict exacerbated by inflation and high commodity prices has resulted in reduced access to food, to which the FSL-C has initiated the Urban Programming Working Group, to focus partners on the need implement responsible market based programmes.
• Priorities for the FSL-C are to improve access to food- including direct distribution of in-kind assistance and cash programming; and to invest in livelihoods activities to extent possible with the distribution of crop, vegetable, and fishing kits.
• The FSL-C partners are only 46% funded as of mid-2016 within the Humanitarian Response Plan and some US$230 million are required for partners to meet urgent unmet requirements. It is essential that funding and support on access issues are addressed in the near future to avoid a further deterioration of the food security situation and prolonged human suffering.

Situation Overview

The situation in Juba, South Sudan, remains quiet following the July 12 ceasefire that halted a week of fighting between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA)—loyal to South Sudan President Salva Kiir—and First Vice President Riek Machar’s forces, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO). More roads are accessible, and the presence of military personnel and checkpoints has visibly decreased. Shops are beginning to reopen as people are moving about the capital. The humanitarian community continues to monitor the situation closely, as tensions in Juba and other parts of the country remain high.

Commercial air traffic at Juba International Airport (JIA) has resumed, and the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS)—operated by the UN World Food Program (WFP)—has restarted some passenger and cargo flights as security and flight safety assurances (FSAs) allow. As of July 19, WFP reported receiving necessary FSAs for its fixed wing aircraft flights; helicopter movement remained restricted, severely limiting the movement of humanitarian workers and supplies in areas inaccessible by airplane.

Relief organizations are continuing to assess the humanitarian impact of the recent violence in Juba. Estimates for overall displacement resulting from the crisis vary upwards of 30,000 people, with a significant number reported to have already returned home. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that more than 10,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) entered UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) sites—UN House and Tongping base—to escape the violence, with thousands of additional IDPs seeking shelter elsewhere. At UN House, an estimated 28,000 registered IDPs were residing in the protection of civilian sites (PoCs) 1 and 3 prior to the crisis; official counts now indicate nearly 40,000 IDPs are present. International Medical Corps staff and other relief actors at the PoCs note that the actual number of IDPs may far exceed that figure.

Conditions within the UN House displacement sites—especially PoC 3— have become extremely overcrowded, placing further strain on already stretched sanitation infrastructure and increasing the likelihood of outbreaks of preventable diseases. Moreover, food remains scarce, with too few markets available and food selling at high prices. WFP and UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warehouses in Juba were looted during the recent conflict, impacting the availability of stocks. Throughout the city, actors are reporting an increase in cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), particularly among women and girls.

On July 17, South Sudan’s Ministry of Health flagged an increase in suspected cholera cases in Juba and other parts of the country. According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), at least 112 people in Juba were being treated for suspected cholera as of July 20. International Medical Corps and other relief organizations are coordinating closely on health and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions to mitigate the spread of the disease and provide treatment to those in need.

Highlights

• The situation remains stable in the Lac region, despite the resumption of military operations on the border with Nigeria and Niger.

• The second report on humanitarian access in the Lac region concludes that overall, humanitarian access has been satisfactory for most partners during the second quarter 2016.

• A 90-day emergency response plan (July-September) for the four countries of the Lake Chad Basin was developed. For Chad, multisectoral assistance to about 250,000 people in need requires an estimated 16 million US dollars.

• Various nutritional screening exercises continue to report malnutrition rates above emergency thresholds. In July, an acute malnutrition screening in 20 sites by local associations CELIAF and Al Nadja, in partnership with UNICEF, highlights an 18.5% acute malnutrition rate, including 5.6% cases of severe acute malnutrition.

• Resilience and livelihood rehabilitation projects , are increasing which underlines the need to shift the humanitarian response towards durable solutions for vulnerable populations in the Lac region.

• WFP is implementing new approaches, with biometric registration of displaced people, as well as cash transfers in 5 sites in Bol area for 9,051 beneficiaries.

Background

Overall, the situation remains stable in the Lac region, despite the resumption of military operations on the border with Nigeria and Niger, as well as some incidents related to humanitarian action. On 27 June, non-food items (NFIs) (consisting of mosquito nets and hygiene water and sanitation kits) aimed to be distributed on Tchoukoutalia site by a local NGO, partner of a United Nations agency, were looted. The security forces recovered part of the stolen items and the distribution was completed peacefully. Furthermore, an attempt to escape from Bol prison on 25 June resulted in three deaths and seven injured. Finally, in Kaiga sub-prefecture, on 10 July, 19 members of an armed group reportedly raided a village about 5km from Kaiga; inhabitants fled and then returned to the village, and confirmed that one person died and their food stock was looted.

The second report on humanitarian access in the Lac region, which covers the period from April to June 2016, concludes that humanitarian access is generally satisfactory for most partners. During this timeframe, no incidents against humanitarian workers have been reported and access is possible throughout the region, except in areas where military operations have been ongoing since mid-June. The resurgence in the use of mines early June in the Lac region could imply movement restrictions in some border areas. This could also bear consequences on the possibilities of return and durable solutions.

A 90-day emergency response plan for the four countries of the Lake Chad Basin (Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, Niger) was developed by the humanitarian community to guide funding allocations by donors between now and September. This plan highlights the vulnerabilities exacerbated by the rainy season, ongoing military operations and the lean season, in a context of limited access to basic services. For Chad, multi-sectoral assistance to about 250,000 people in need requires an estimated USD 16 million for the next three months. According to the HRP 2016, total needs for the Lac region in 2016 amount to USD 94 million.

Humanitarian partners are already developing projects to strengthen community resilience and rebuild livelihoods. The European Union, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministry of Planning officially launched a project to strengthen livelihoods in the Lac region. Other partners also intervene in the distribution of seeds and agricultural and fishing equipment (the NGO ACTED with ECHO funding, the International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC -, the NGO Catholic Relief Services - CRS -, the NGOs COOPI and CARE with a funding from the French embassy), support for income-generating activities, or support to farmers (the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization - FAO - and the NGO IMC - International Medical Corps -, the ICRC through a livestock vaccination campaign). This trend highlights the need to move towards solutions that empower people, thereby avoiding a protracted crisis and prolonged dependency on humanitarian aid.

From 15 to 17 July, a high-level delegation visited Chad to draw attention to the humanitarian situation in the Lake Chad basin and emphasize the need for a greater commitment by donors. The delegation was composed of the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Mr. Christos Stylianides, the Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, Ms. Anne C. Richard, and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel, Mr. Toby Lanzer, the delegation visited Melia and Yakoua sites in the Bol area.

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Fairfield, Conn. (July 22, 2016) - More than 2,000 refugees are arriving in Northern Uganda daily after fleeing the on-going threat of violence in war-torn South Sudan. 90% of the people crossing are women and children, including vulnerable mothers with newborn babies.

Save the Children aid worker at the border, Justine Abenaitwe, said: "We’ve seen extremely vulnerable children coming into Uganda – many of whom have been forced to sleep outside because of the onset of heavy seasonal rains. The daily average has increased nearly ten-fold from the usual 200–300 refugees who were crossing before the fighting broke out in South Sudan less than two weeks ago.

"We are deeply concerned about the escalating numbers of unaccompanied and separated children who have made the journey alone and are susceptible to neglect or abuse. Even without the risk of being killed in the conflict, South Sudan is statistically the worst place in the world to be a child. Half the children are not in school."

Most refugees are coming from Eastern Equatoria state in addition to smaller numbers from Juba, with renewed sporadic fighting and hunger cited as the main reasons for flight. In the first five months of the year, the number of severely malnourished children admitted to Save the Children centers has tripled in comparison to the same period last year.

"These people only got a chance to leave South Sudan when the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), crossed into South Sudan to evacuate Ugandan traders. That is when civilian vehicles, which had been waiting in hiding, joined the secure convoy and lone travelers ran and hopped onto some of the trucks," says Abenaitwe.

"In just three hours on Tuesday afternoon, a total of 4,149 South Sudanese refugees, mainly women and children, entered the Ugandan town of Elegu on the border with South Sudan. One refugee told us that many South Sudanese men are staying in the country to fight, including boys as young as 13 years old."

Thousands of people are being relocated to camps and reception centers and the number of new arrivals is expected to rise in the coming days.

Save the Children is currently working on the construction of Child Friendly Spaces including one on two acres of land in Pagirinya where three to six-year-olds will come for school lessons; the provision of clothes, blankets, hygiene kits, mosquito nets and basic cooking utensils; the sensitization of refugees regarding child protection issues; and registration and case management for separated and un accompanied children.

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Note to Editors:

• Save the Children Stabilization centers support severely malnourish children. The numbers have increased from just over 400 to well over 1600.

22 July 2016 – In a cross-border humanitarian operation, a total of 31 metric tonnes of food and some non-food items have been distributed to about 15,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in Banki, located in Nigeria's restive Borno state, near the border with Cameroon, the United Nations relief wing announced today.

The cross-border operation, undertaken with close coordination between the humanitarian country teams in Nigeria and Cameroon, was necessary as there was no access from Maiduguri, the humanitarian hub in Nigeria, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told journalists/DDC9FFD5079B81D9C1257FF800544EE7?OpenDocument) at the regular bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.

“The roads from Maiduguri to Banki were unsafe,” noted Mr. Laerke. “[Ensuring] regular and frequent support to those IDPs […] would only be possible with increased security in the area,” he added.

The food delivered yesterday is expected to last less than a week.

Given the lack of civilian authorities in the area and problems with access, it is difficult to ascertain the actual number of people affected. According to best estimates, the IDPs number between 15,000 and 20,000, he said.

Mr. Laerke said that the Nigerian army, in control of Banki as there are no civil authorities left, had earlier shared some of its own rations with the IDPs, but these were far from sufficient.

The aid convoy complemented another intervention in the field nutrition and health by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

(Maiduguri, Abuja: 21 July 2016): On Thursday 21 July vital food supplies were transported to Banki in north-east Nigeria when a humanitarian convoy reached the town.
The World Food Program (WFP) team in Cameron delivered 30 metric tons of various life-saving food items. The food was received by the WFP team in Nigeria and immediately distributed to the 25,000 civilians living inside the town of Banki. An additional 700 kilograms of supplementary food for malnourished children was airlifted from the state capital Maiduguri to Banki on the same day.

Recently, essential drugs were delivered and an immunization campaign, reaching all eligible children in Banki was completed by the UN and nations partners.
The United Nations team from Nigeria was headed by the acting Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Munir Safieldin while the United Nations team from Cameron was headed by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ms. Najat Rochdi. The team members included WFP and OCHA staff from both countries.

SEMA Chairman in Borno State participated in the mission. The Nigerian Army in Banki and the Multi-National Task Force (MNTF) in Cameron facilitated the operation.
The Nigerian Army took control of Banki from Boko Haram in September last year. The delivery of humanitarian assistance is now scaling up in Banki and other similar locations that were inaccessible until recently. A team from the UN assessed the humanitarian needs of the civilians in the city four weeks ago and found food and access to clean water a priority.

The Humanitarian Response Plan 2016 for Nigeria requires $ 279 million to provide humanitarian interventions. Just 28 per cent of the funds required have been received todate and a further US$200 million is needed to meet the life-saving needs of people affected by the current crisis in four states in north-east Nigeria.

(N’Djamena, 16 juillet 2016) : A la fin d’une visite dans les pays du bassin du lac Tchad (Cameroun, Tchad et Niger), la Sous-Secrétaire d’Etat pour la population, les réfugiés et la migration du Département d’Etat américain, Mme. Anne C. Richard, et le Commissaire européen chargé de l’aide humanitaire et de la gestion des crises, M. Christos Stylianides, ainsi que le Sous-Secrétaire Général des Nations Unies Toby Lanzer, appellent la communité internationale des bailleurs de fonds à accroître leur soutien financier aux populations affectées par la violence.

« Les Etats-Unis sont profondément préoccupés par la situation actuelle des populations déplacées et réfugiées, à cause de la violence persistante dans le bassin du Lac Tchad, que ce soit ici au Tchad, au Cameroun, ou dans les pays voisins, au Niger et au Nigeria », a affirmé la Sous-Secrétaire d’Etat Richard. « Les Etats-Unis reconnaissent les efforts entrepris par les gouvernements de la région, où 2,7 millions de personnes ont été contraintes d’abandonner leurs villages, et sont heureux d’accroître leur soutien aux agences des Nations Unies et aux ONG de $27 millions, totalisant $112 millions pour l’année fiscale en cours. »

« Nous sommes très préoccupés par la grave crise humanitaire dans le bassin du lac Tchad. L’Union européenne réaffirme sa solidarité avec les populations affectées par cette crise régionale. Elles ont notre soutien total. Nous continuerons à fournir une assistance là où elle est nécessaire », a déclaré le Commissaire Stylianides. « Aujourd’hui, alors que nous réaffirmons notre engagement dans cette région, j’annonce que l’Union européenne a décidé d’allouer 58 millions d’euros en 2016 afin de soutenir les populations les plus vulnérables.
Avec cette assistance, nous aiderons à fournir des vivres, des abris, de l’eau potable, et des soins de santé, ainsi qu’à protéger les populations affectées par les conflits. L’objectif est également de préparer les populations à mieux résister aux chocs, en renforçant leur résilience. Ce financement fait partie de l’action humanitaire globale de l’Union européenne dans la région du Sahel, qui dépasse 200 millions d’euros cette année. »

« Je suis très reconnaissant pour les financements reçus des Etats Unis et de l’Union européenne. Grâce à cela et au soutien du Fonds central d’intervention d’urgence, qui a fourni plus de $102 millions pour l’aide humanitaire dans le bassin du lac Tchad, les agences des Nations Unies et leurs partenaires peuvent intensifier leur travail auprès des victimes de la crise, y compris les personnes déplacées et les communautés d’accueil, en ligne avec notre plan de réponse de 90 jours que nous avons finalisé au début du mois de juillet », a souligné le SousSecrétaire Général Lanzer. « J’espère vivement que d’autres membres de la communauté internationale des bailleurs de fonds suivront l’exemple des Etats-Unis et de l’Union européenne et soutiendront notre réponse afin d’éviter une crise plus profonde, plus large, et plus coûteuse dans les mois à venir », a-t-il ajouté.

La région du Sahel continue d’être affectée par l’extrême pauvreté, l’insécurité alimentaire chronique et la dénutrition, le changement climatique et l’extrêmisme violent. Dans le bassin du lac Tchad plus particulièrement, où vivent 20 millions de personnes, 9,2 millions de personnes ont besoin d’aide humanitaire, 5,2 millions sont en situation d’insécurité alimentaire sévère et ont besoin d’assistance alimentaire d’urgence, et 2,7 millions ont été forcées de quitter leurs villages. Les communautés accueillant ces déplacés doivent partager leurs ressources déjà très limitées. De plus, la population locale est confrontée à une augmentation importante du prix des denrées. Les priorités de la réponse humanitaire sont : la protection ; l’assistance alimentaire ; la nutrition ; les soins de santé ; l’eau l’hygiène et l’assainissement (EHA) ; les abris ; et l’éducation d’urgence.

Bamako (CICR) - Le Comité international de la Croix-Rouge (CICR) est préoccupé par la reprise des violences à Kidal au nord du Mali. Il rappelle à l'ensemble des parties de respecter les règles du droit international humanitaire et en particulier de faciliter l'accès aux soins des personnes blessées.

La situation reste tendue à Kidal, au nord du Mali où des affrontements entre groupes armés ont éclaté jeudi après-midi. Alors que plusieurs dizaines de blessés ont pu être acheminés au Centre de santé de référence de Kidal et sont actuellement pris en charge par l'équipe médicale du CICR, d'autres blessés refusent d'y être amenés par crainte pour leur sécurité.

Le CICR rappelle que selon le droit international humanitaire, les blessés et malades doivent être protégés et doivent pouvoir recevoir des soins, sans autre distinction que celle basée sur des critères médicaux. Les parties au conflit ont l'obligation de respecter et protéger le personnel, les structures et les véhicules de santé et sont tenues de faciliter l'acheminement de tous les blessés vers les structures médicales.

Le CICR continue de rappeler aux parties au conflit qu'ils doivent respecter la population civile, et s'abstenir d'attaquer tant les civils que les porteurs d'armes qui ne sont plus en état de combattre, tels que les blessés et les détenus.

Informations complémentaires :
Christophe Luedi, Chef de Délégation, CICR Bamako, tél. : +223 20 29 72 14 ou +223 75 99 58 38

22 juillet 2016 – Le Secrétaire général de l'ONU, Ban Ki-moon, a condamné vendredi les récents combats survenus les 21 et 22 juillet à Kidal, au Mali, qui ont opposé deux groupes armés signataires de l'Accord pour la paix et la réconciliation au Mali.

Dans un communiqué de presse, rendu public par son porte-parole, M. Ban a déploré cette « première violation du cessez-le-feu depuis septembre 2015, qui a eu lieu au moment où les parties signataires progressaient vers l'établissement d'une autorité intérimaire dans les régions du nord ».

Il a appelé les responsables des deux groupes armés signataires à restaurer le calme et leur a rappelé leurs engagements et obligations concernant la protection des civils, conformément aux résolutions du Conseil de sécurité et du droit international.

A ce moment crucial pour le processus de paix, le Secrétaire général a encouragé les parties signataires à « prendre les mesures nécessaires à la rapide et complète mise en œuvre de l'accord de paix », y compris la mise en place des autorités intérimaires et des arrangements sécuritaires.

La veille, jeudi 21 juillet, la Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation au Mali (MINUSMA) a également condamné ces affrontements entre les mouvements dits de la Plateforme et ceux de la Coordination des mouvements de l'Azawad (CMA).

« Des combats violents ont éclaté dans la ville de Kidal aujourd'hui vers 16h30 entre des éléments des deux mouvements signataires de l'Accord pour la Paix et la Réconciliation au Mali », a déclaré la Mission dans un communiqué de presse, précisant que des armes lourdes, y compris des mortiers, avaient été utilisées lors des confrontations.

La MINUSMA a appelé les responsables de ces confrontations à mettre fin immédiatement aux hostilités et à tenir leurs engagements, conformément à tous les accords que leurs mouvements ont signé.

La Mission a en outre déploré vivement le fait que ces combats aient mis en danger la population civile, indiquant qu'elle avait pris des dispositions pour assurer la protection de la population civile et la défense de son mandat.