01/10/2013 11:59 GMT

BAMAKO, 10 jan 2013 (AFP) - Les affrontements ont repris jeudi dans la région de Mopti (centre) entre l'armée malienne et les islamistes qui occupent le nord du Mali, au lendemain d'échanges de tirs à l'arme lourde dans la même zone, a-t-on appris de source militaire.

"Nos troupes sont actuellement engagées sur le terrain contre les islamistes", a déclaré à l'AFP un officier de l'armée malienne, une information confirmée par un représentant local d'une ONG étrangère selon qui ces "affrontements se déroulent dans le petit village de Koko, situé entre les localités de Konna et de Boré", dans la région de Mopti.

"Il y a de violents coups de feu", a affirmé ce représentant d'ONG.

"Ca a repris. Selon certains, c'est l'armée malienne qui a repris l'initiative parce qu'elle veut aller jusqu'à Douentza. Mais pour d'autres, ce sont les islamistes qui ont tiré les premiers et l'armée riposte", a affirmé de son côté un haut-fonctionnaire malien en poste à Mopti, chef-lieu de la région éponyme.

Douentza, une localité située à 145 km au nord-est de Mopti, est sous contrôle des islamistes. La région de Mopti est proche de la ligne de partition qui coupe le Mali en deux, les groupes islamistes armés occupant le Nord depuis neuf mois.

Ces nouveaux affrontements surviennent au lendemain d'échanges de tirs à l'arme lourde dans la même région de Mopti entre les islamistes et l'armée, qui a affirmé avoir repoussé une incursion des jihadistes dans la nuit de mercredi à jeudi.

Ce sont les premiers combats entre les deux camps depuis neuf mois.

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© 1994-2012 Agence France-Presse

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Somalia receives Euro 1 million from the Government of France for stabilization programme to assist vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other mobile populations in Somalia.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Somalia has received a generous donation from the Government of France of € 1 million for a year-long stabilization project commencing in January 2013. IOM will assist the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia to provide support to the most vulnerable IDPs migrants and mobile populations, as well as their affected host communities in Lower Juba, Gedo and Mogadishu, Somalia.

IOM in Somalia aims to make a quick and visible impact on the lives of thousands of vulnerable IDPs and other mobile populations, through the direct provision of basic services in Mogadishu, as well as enhancing the Somali Government’s capacity at a strategically important District Community Center in the capital, to ensure target beneficiaries have uninterrupted access to these vital basic services. The project aims to contribute to stabilization and peace-building initiatives in Somalia by strengthening the capacity of regional and local governance institutions and communities while simultaneously addressing the urgent needs amongst the IDPs and their affected communities, improving service delivery, and promoting self-sufficiency and sustainability of service provision by the Government of Somalia to its people.

Thanking the Government of France, IOM Somalia’s Chief of Mission, Mr Ali Abdi said: “We are very grateful to the Government of France for their generous contribution to IOM and applaud France’s commitment to seizing the right moment and foresight to assist Somalia’s stabilization at this point in time. With this donation, IOM in Somalia is now able to establish border health posts on the Somali-Kenyan and Somali-Ethiopian borders in Dhobley and Doolow to service these very vulnerable migrant populations.”

The Ambassador of France in Nairobi H.E. Etienne de Poncins stated: "The current positive trends in Somalia, both the political process and the security situation, must be seized upon now and make us prepare, together with the Government of Somalia, the appropriate and acceptable conditions for the long term stabilization of the country. I am therefore delighted that the Government of France, which already provides substantial financial support to Somalia, particularly through the European Union, is able to provide further assistance for stabilization in Somalia to IOM working in close partnership with the Government of Somalia”

For more information contact: Dr. Chiaki Ito – cito@iom.int or +254 737860720

Brussels, 10/1/2013 – The European Commission has just adopted its plan for the allocation of over €661 million in humanitarian aid funding for 2013. This so-called World-Wide Decision on Humanitarian Aid will be the financial backbone of the Commission's humanitarian aid operational strategy for 2013. The Commission will fund humanitarian interventions run by more than 200 of its partner organisations in nearly 80 countries or regions.

Based on an in-depth assessment of the needs of the most vulnerable populations in the world, the five largest humanitarian operations will be in the Sahel region of West Africa, including further response to the conflict in Mali (€82 million), Sudan and South Sudan (€80 million), the Democratic Republic of Congo (€54 million), Pakistan (€42 million) and Somalia (€40 million). All of these are large-scale, protracted crises resulting from conflict, food shortages or both. Geographically, the largest portion of aid will go to sub-Saharan Africa to which €344.5 million, representing 52% of the Commission's pre-programmed humanitarian funding, is targeted.

Kristalina Georgieva, the European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, said: “The scope and size of the Commission's world-wide humanitarian aid decision is a sober reminder of the extent of humanitarian needs around the world. For hundreds of millions of people crises are not rare events but recurrent, seemingly unavoidable hardships. Humanitarian aid is a vital expression of our humanity towards those who suffer. As well as the basic physical needs it fulfils, I have seen how it also serves as a source of hope for people who have lost nearly everything else.

"As in the past, the EU will provide its humanitarian assistance solely based on where people's needs are most pressing, and independently of any political agenda. Over the past year, I have visited numerous conflict situations round the world – in Mali, in Syria and elsewhere - where aid could only get through to people in need because it is perceived as being neutral and not favouring one side or another. This will continue to be a fundamental principle for the EU in its emergency relief work.”

As in previous years part of the budget is dedicated to forgotten crises– populations that receive little media attention and for whom the Commission is often the only major donor. In 2013 the Commission has identified several populations in nine countries – Algeria, Bangladesh, Central African Republic, Colombia, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Yemen - who meet these criteria. The only new crisis on this year's list is the one caused by conflict and internal displacement in Pakistan. Other long-enduring forgotten crises include the armed conflict caused by the Lord's Resistance Army in Central African Republic, the Sahrawi refugees in Algeria, and the victims of conflict in Colombia.

The Commissioner added: "New funding for old crises should not make us complacent in our efforts. Indeed I want 2013 to be a time to innovate, especially in the areas of enhancing the emergency response capacity of the sector, working with new donors, and building resilience to crises among the poorest communities through our nascent initiatives such as AGIR Sahel and SHARE for the Horn of Africa. The big challenges to making this aid matter will be in gaining secure access to those who most need it and ensuring the accountability of our aid both towards the EU taxpayer and the beneficiary. These are areas where coordination and leadership are crucial at a time of severe budget constraints and an ever-more challenging humanitarian landscape."

Background

The World-Wide Decision on Humanitarian Aid is allocated on the basis of an annual Global Needs Assessment (GNA), where the European Commission categorises 140 developing countries in terms of their vulnerability and the recent occurrence of a crisis. In 2012, using the GNA methodology, the Commission identified 68 countries currently experiencing at least one humanitarian crisis. Out of these, fifteen countries emerged as "extremely vulnerable", nine of which are found in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In addition to the €661 million that the Commission has allocated to the most intractable humanitarian problems around the globe, reserve resources are available during the year for unpredictable crises and disasters. In 2012 the entire reserve was used due to major disasters in the Sahel region of West Africa, the escalation of the conflict in Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan, all of which caused renewed violence against civilians and displacement. These additional emergency responses brought the total amount of humanitarian funding from the Commission to nearly €1.3 billion in 2012, the Commission’s highest ever annual spending on humanitarian aid.

The EU's humanitarian assistance is based on the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. Every humanitarian aid decision taken must be in accordance with these four principles, which are at the heart of the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid.

EU humanitarian aid is distributed purely according to these principles and, without exception seeks to help those in the greatest need, irrespective of their nationality, religion, gender, ethnic origin or political affiliation.

For more information Commissioner Georgieva's website:

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/georgieva/index_en.htm

The European Commission's humanitarian aid and civil protection:

http://ec.europa.eu/echo/index_en.htm

Contacts :
Irina Novakova ( +32 2 295 75 17)
David Sharrock ( +32 2 296 89 09)

FAITS SAILLANTS
• Selon les prévisions de l’UNICEF, 126,000 enfants souffriront de la malnutrition aiguë sévère en 2013 au Tchad.
• Tous les refugiés tchadiens de Langui au Cameroun sont rapatriés, selon le HCR.
• Un pilote de résilience sera lancé cette année dans le Sila pour développer un modèle plus adapté à un environnement complexe où se mêlent risques et vulnérabilités.

In this Issue

• Oxfam OXFAM: Emergency food security program for 151, 000 people in Kayes

• Plan International: Accompany the school ambitions for the Segou Displaced people

Dans ce numéro

Oxfam
Oxfam compte assister quelque 151 000 personnes à Kayes dans le cadre de son programme de sécurité alimentaire d’urgence

Plan
Accompagner les ambitionsscolaires des déplacés de Ségou

1. Brief description of the emergency and impact

Chad has continued to host refugees from the Central African Republic and those from the Darfur conflict in Sudan, in addition to its own IDPs resulting from internal conflict. This situation has led to the protracted humanitarian crisis in Chad. Refugees continue to depend on humanitarian aid while former IDPs need support for better conditions for re-integration. Host communities are affected by the degradation of the environment caused by deforestation, over-exploitation of groundwater and pressure on scarce natural resources. Chad is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranked as number 183 out of 187 countries on the Human Development Index. 64 % of the population lives below the national poverty line. It is estimated that 4.4 million people will be in need of humanitarian assistance in Chad in 2013.1

Due to continued insecurity from rebel groups operating in CAR and around its border with Chad a return of the CAR refugees residing in Chad is not foreseen in 2013.

A possible return of the Sudanese refugees is being discussed in tri-partite meetings between the governments of Sudan, Chad and the UNHCR. Possible return depends very much on political solutions to the crisis in Darfur.

2. Why is an ACT response needed?

To contribute to international efforts towards meeting the basic humanitarian needs of refugees, IDPs and host communities in a holistic approach and in partnership with UNHCR in 2013. LWF /ACT is UNHCR’s main partner in Chad for 2013.

3. National and international response

LWF/ACT Chad is part of the OCHA CAP 2013 for immediate life-saving activities in the short term, combined with prevention, preparedness and recovery approaches that will help build resilience of affected people in the medium and long term.

4. ACT Alliance response

Since 2007 ACT has continued to respond to the humanitarian needs of refugees, IDPs and host community in Chad through annual appeals. The programme activities have continued to focus more on return and early recovery since 2010. ACT has supported the CAR refugees in camps around the town of Maro (Moula and Yaroungou) as well as the host communities to improve their food security and general livelihoods. Due to repeated flooding the Yaroungou camp has been relocated to higher grounds close to the Moula camp- making one big camp with 17,000 refugees and a new name, ‘Bélom’. For 2013 UNHCR has requested LWF/ACT to partner in three other CAR refugee camps close to Goré with the same activities as in Bélom. LWF/ACT has been working with Sudanese refugees’ camps since 2009 to date.

5. Planned activities

In partnership with UNHCR in 2013: (1) shelter and basic infrastructure for IDPs in their villages of return, (2) shelter, Infrastructure, livelihood support and alternative energy sources (environment) for the Sudanese refugees and (3) livelihoods, environment, food and NFI for the CAR refugees. (4)
Vocational training.

In addition, the ACT appeal 2013 will provide support with: psycho-social, recovery of livelihoods, emergency shelter, NFIs and support to a health centre.

The proposed response will target 300,482 people including: 88,556 former IDPs, 50,419 CAR refugees (87% of total number of CAR refugees), 149,007 Sudanese refugees (52% of total number of Sudanese refugees) and 12,500 from host communities. Funding request to the ACT Alliance will be approximately $ 1.2 million which is a commitment to another year of continued partnership with UNHCR. LWF/ACT programme in Chad is preparing a new appeal for 2013.

6. Constraints

• Political unrest in the Central African Republic and in Sudan, resulting in a new influx of refugees to Chad.

• Reduced funding for security operations in the country.

• Access challenges: Use of armed convoys in the East.

-----------------------------------Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jean-Daniel Birmele, Director of Finance (jbi@actalliance.org)

For further information please contact:
ACT Senior Programme Officer, Katherine Ireri (phone +41 22 791 6040 or mobile phone +41 79 433 0592) or ACT Deputy General Secretary, Rebecca Larson (phone +41 22 791 6069 or mobile phone +41 79 376 1711)

Link: Sahel Food Insecurity and Complex Emergency - Fact Sheet #2 (FY) 2013

Highlight This Month: Outreach

The outreach component is the backbone of the CTC Programme. The outreach workers conduct active case-finding at the neighbourhood level across the city to help ensure that no child is left behind. They follow up on transfers and absentees, contributing to strong programme performance. They encourage families to participate in IYCF counselling and to have their children vaccinated. In the long run, they are the solution to positive behaviour change, as they provide key messaging on health, nutrition and hygiene at the household level.

This month SAACID conducted a survey of the 480 CTC outreach workers. The data is being compiled and analyzed for a closer look at the education, skills training, work history and standard of living of this special group.

SAACID has begun mapping its OTP and SFP caseload down to the administrative neighbourhood level on a monthly basis. The mapping allows for SAACID to mobilize the outreach worker teams in under-reached areas and helps ensure complete geographic coverage of Mogadishu city.

The following map of Mogadishu illustrates SAACID’s December caseload by administrative neighbourhood. The red and purple sections have many newly settled IDP clusters and the white areas have been insecure, are difficult to access, or have few inhabitants.

01/10/2013 15:39 GMT

Par Serge DANIEL et Ahamadou CISSÉ

BAMAKO, 10 jan 2013 (AFP) - Des affrontements ont de nouveau opposé, jeudi, dans le centre du Mali, les militaires aux islamistes qui contrôlent le nord du pays depuis neuf mois, laissant craindre le début d'un vrai conflit alors que l'intervention d'une force internationale approuvée par l'ONU n'est pas attendue avant des mois.

Dans la capitale malienne, la sécurité a été renforcée jeudi, au lendemain de manifestations violentes prônant la guerre contre les jihadistes, et les écoles y ont fermées jusqu'à nouvel ordre.

Selon plusieurs sources militaires, des affrontements à l'arme lourde ont opposé dans la nuit de mercredi à jeudi militaires et islamistes près de Konna (à environ 70 kilomètres de Mopti), dans le centre. Après quelques heures d'accalmie, ils ont repris jeudi matin dans d'autres localités proches de Mopti, sans qu'on puisse obtenir de bilan dans l'immédiat.

Selon l'armée, une tentative d'attaque islamiste avait été repoussée lundi, suivie par des affrontements directs depuis mercredi.

On ignore de quels groupes armés sont issus ces combattants jihadistes, répartis entre Al-Qaïda au Maghreb islamique (Aqmi), le Mouvement pour l'unicité et le jihad en Afrique de l'Ouest (Mujao) et Ansar Dine. Selon des sources sécuritaires, ils ont reçu récemment des renforts de la secte islamiste nigériane Boko Haram.

"Tout semble faire croire que c'est le début d'une guerre qui ne dit pas son nom", a déclaré à l'AFP Alexis Kalambry, journaliste et analyste politique malien, qui assure que l'armée "voulait attaquer depuis décembre" mais n'en a rien fait à la demande "des alliés du Mali".

Dans le même temps, des policiers ont été déployés en différents endroits à Bamako où 300 à 400 personnes d'après les forces de l'ordre - plusieurs milliers d'après les organisateurs - ont marché jeudi sans violences pour, notamment, exprimer leur soutien à l'armée.

Mercredi, de premières manifestations s'étaient soldées par des violences dans la capitale et à Kati (près de Bamako), faisant un blessé, tandis que six personnes étaient interpellées.

Les organisations appelant à manifester, pour la plupart favorables au putsch de mars 2012, réclament tout à la fois la guerre contre les islamistes, l'organisation de concertations nationales ou le départ du pouvoir du président intérimaire Dioncounda Traoré qui avait été installé en avril, quelques semaines après le coup d'Etat militaire.

Paris veut accélérer le déploiement d'une force internationale

Des préparatifs sont en cours pour le déploiement d'une force internationale au Mali, approuvé par l'ONU le 20 décembre et prévu par étapes, sans calendrier précis. Parallèlement, l'ONU prône le dialogue avec les groupes armés se démarquant du terrorisme et de la partition du pays.

Mais des discussions prévues initialement jeudi entre le gouvernement malien, le groupe islamiste Ansar Dine et la rébellion touareg du Mouvement national de libération de l'Azawad (MNLA) ont été reportées à une date ultérieure au Burkina Faso.

Jeudi, la France a estimé que les récents développements au Mali soulignaient "la nécessité de procéder au déploiement rapide" de la force internationale en préparation, se disant "préoccupée par (les) opérations (en cours) qui fragilisent le processus de sortie de crise au Mali".

"Tout va très, très vite" au Mali, "l'espace francophone va devoir prendre des décisions plus rapidement. (...) Nous sommes face à des terroristes. Il faut que toutes les forces soient au côté de l'Union africaine", a de son côté réagi la ministre française déléguée à la Francophonie Yamina Benguigui.

Fin décembre, le président Traoré avait affirmé que le Mali n'attendrait pas "des mois", et ferait "la guerre contre les islamistes" plus tôt que les prévisions initiales, sans donner de dates. Mais en novembre, l'émissaire de l'ONU pour le Sahel Romano Prodi - arrivé jeudi à Bamako pour une visite de quelques heures - avait estimé une intervention impossible avant septembre 2013.

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© 1994-2012 Agence France-Presse

01/10/2013 21:59 GMT

Par Serge DANIEL, Ahamadou CISSE

BAMAKO, 10 jan 2013 (AFP) - Les islamistes armés qui contrôlent le nord du Mali ont pris jeudi une localité du centre du pays où des témoins ont vu l'armée "battre en retraite" après quelques jours de violents affrontements, poussant le Conseil de sécurité à se réunir d'urgence pour débattre de la situation au Mali.

Des témoignages indirects et des informations sur plusieurs sites de réseaux sociaux font état de nombreuses victimes dans les affrontements de ces derniers jours entre l'armée malienne et les islamistes, les premiers depuis neuf mois.

Aucun bilan n'a pu être obtenu, mais un témoin joint par l'AFP a dit avoir appris qu'"un carnage" avait eu lieu dans la localité de Konna finalement tombée jeudi aux mains des islamistes, à 70 km de la ville de Mopti (640 km au nord de Bamako) où est basé l'état-major régional de l'armée malienne.

"Nous sommes actuellement à Konna pour le jihad", a annoncé jeudi après-midi à l'AFP un responsable du groupe armé Ansar Dine, Abdou Dardar. "Nous contrôlons la cité presque en totalité. Après, nous allons continuer"à progresser vers le Sud, a annoncé ce responsable joint par téléphone depuis Bamako.

Il affirmait parler au nom des trois groupes jihadistes qui occupent totalement le Nord, Ansar Dine, Al-Qaïda au Maghreb islamique (Aqmi) et le Mouvement pour l'unicité et le jihad en Afrique de l'Ouest (Mujao).

Sollicité par l'AFP, l'état-major régional de l'armée n'a pas voulu réagir à ces propos. Mais des témoins joints par l'AFP ont constaté que l'armée avait abandonné Konna.

"Les islamistes sont entrés à Konna, ce sont eux qui contrôlent la localité. Les militaires retournent actuellement vers Sévaré"à 12 km de Mopti, a affirmé un des témoins. "Les militaires maliens ont battu en retraite en direction de Sévaré. C'est la débandade totale ici", a dit un autre témoin. "Les gens sont affolés. Les islamistes ont juré qu'ils vont marcher sur le sud du pays".

Selon plusieurs sources militaires, des affrontements à l'arme lourde avaient eu lieu dans la nuit avant de reprendre dans la matinée. Une source sécuritaire régionale avait fait état d'affrontements jeudi après-midi près de Konna, en disant: "L'armée cherche à résister".

Ces affrontements font croire au "début d'une guerre qui ne dit pas son nom", a commenté le journaliste et analyste malien Alexis Kalambry.

"Urgence d'agir"

A New York, le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU devait se réunir en urgence jeudi, à huis clos, à partir de 18H00 locales (23H00 GMT) pour discuter de la situation au Mali, à la demande de la France, selon une source diplomatique.

Cette source a affirmé que les islamistes armés étaient désormais "à 20 km de la ville de Mopti", ce qu'aucune source n'a pu confirmer à l'AFP à Bamako. La source diplomatique a également déclaré que la colonne des jihadistes comptait près de 1.200 hommes équipés de véhicules tout-terrain et pourrait décider de contourner Mopti pour se diriger plus au sud, vers Bamako.

Le déploiement d'une force internationale au Mali pour chasser les islamistes, approuvé par l'ONU le 20 décembre, est en préparation, mais sans calendrier précis. En novembre, l'émissaire de l'ONU pour le Sahel Romano Prodi avait estimé une intervention impossible avant septembre 2013. "Si l'offensive" des islamistes se poursuit "encore, je pense qu'il y aura des décisions extraordinaires du côté de la communauté internationale", a averti jeudi M. Prodi, en visite pour quelques heures à Bamako.

Jeudi, la France et l'Union européenne ont évoqué l'urgence d'agir.

Les derniers événements soulignent "la nécessité de procéder au déploiement rapide d'une force africaine au Mali ainsi que de la mission européenne de formation et de conseil", a déclaré le ministère français des Affaires étrangères.

La chef de la diplomatie européenne, Catherine Ashton, a indiqué que la planification de la mission européenne de formation de l'armée malienne se poursuivait "exactement comme prévu", les événements ne faisant "que renforcer la pertinence et l'urgence d'agir".

Parallèlement, l'ONU prône le dialogue avec les groupes armés se démarquant du terrorisme et de la partition du pays. Mais des discussions prévues initialement jeudi entre le gouvernement malien, Ansar Dine et la rébellion touareg ont été reportées au 21 janvier, a indiqué à Ouagadougou la médiation burkinabè.

La Mauritanie, qui exclut de participer à une intervention internationale au Mali voisin, a réitéré son souhait d'une "résolution à l'amiable de tous les conflits armés" dans ce "pays frère", par la voix de son Premier ministre, Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf.

Par ailleurs, des policiers ont été déployés à Bamako pour éviter des débordements, alors qu'une marche y était organisée jeudi, notamment en soutien à l'armée. Mercredi, de premières manifestations s'étaient soldées par des violences dans la capitale et à Kati (près de Bamako), faisant un blessé. Les écoles ont été fermées jusqu'à nouvel ordre dans ces deux villes.

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© 1994-2012 Agence France-Presse

01/10/2013 22:21 GMT

by Serge Daniel and Ahamadou Cisse

BAMAKO, Jan 10, 2013 (AFP) - Islamist fighters who have for months controlled northern Mali seized a government town in the country's centre on Thursday and will push further south, an Islamist official told AFP, as UN officials called an emergency meeting to discuss the deepening crisis.

Abdou Dardar, from the Ansar Dine group, said fighters from the Islamist force were in the town of Konna, northeast of the regional capital of Mopti, and witnesses later in the day said Malian soldiers were retreating.

The apparent rout came amid other clashes between government forces and Islamist rebels in the region, marking a dramatic new phase of the crisis that until now had seen the Islamists stay largely in Mali's vast arid north.

"We almost entirely control the town (of Konna.) Afterwards, we are going to continue" pushing south, Dardar said by phone.

Dardar said he was speaking in the name of all the Islamists.

Witnesses told AFP that Malian troops were retreating toward Sevare, near Mopti.

Diplomatic sources at UN headquarters in New York said the 15-member Security Council would meet after they heard Islamist guerrillas were within 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) of Mopti, the gateway between rebel-held and government-held areas.

During a brief visit to Bamako on Thursday, UN special representative for the Sahel, Romano Prodi, said the Islamist push was of serious concern and could lead to "extraordinary" decisions from the international community.

He didn't elaborate, and stressed his presence in the Mali capital was unrelated to the developments.

Tensions were running high in Bamako, following a day of street protests Wednesday.

The north has been controlled for nine months by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and Ansar Dine (Defenders of the Faith), who all promote the application of Islamic law.

Alexis Kalambry, a Malian journalist and political analyst, told AFP that Mali's army has wanted to attack the north since last month but has refrained from taking action "due to Mali's allies."

The presence of hardline armed Islamists in Mali's remote desert terrain has aroused fears among regional states and the international community that the north -- an area about the size of France -- could become a launch-pad for Al-Qaeda activity.

While Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore is ready to host peace talks, the regional bloc Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is set to deploy a force of 3,300 troops to help end the insurgency, with the support of the UN Security Council.

But no timetable has been given for an intervention and senior UN officials have warned no deployment will take place before September.

The lack of clarity and wrangling over funding the force is hampering preparations, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

"We've considered this situation in Mali urgent for a number of months now, and we are eager to see the swiftest possible implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2085," Nuland told journalists.

The resolution, adopted in late December, authorised the deployment of an African-led mission in Mali for one year.

The European Union's foreign affairs head Catherine Ashton said the new clashes reinforce the need for a planned EU training mission to support Bamako's troops.

Also Thursday, former colonial power France said the new clashes showed the need for a quick deployment of the international force.

"Things are happening very, fast... We are facing terrorists" in Mali, said Yamani Beguiling, the French minister for the francophone nations.

Tensions rose in Mali's capital and nearby Kati after politicians who backed the coup on March 22 last year called for street protests. Demonstrators demanded the liberation of the north and the resignation of interim President Uncondition Tra ore.

This week's fighting came after Burkina Faso's Foreign Minister Djibrill Bassole, whose country is mediating in the conflict, called for restraint after reported troop movements.

The three armed Islamist groups at the centre of the crisis have taken control of the northern zones of Timbuktu, Kidal and Gao. The religious fighters have imposed sharia law, with punishments including death by stoning for offences such as extramarital sex -- and the amputation of limbs for thieves.

Talks initially planned for Thursday between Mali's government and two armed groups -- Ansar Dine and the Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA) -- will now take place January 21, Bassole said.

Ansar Dine and the MNLA, an ethnic Tuareg separatist group, are homegrown movements that mediators hope can be persuaded to reject the hardline Islamists who have been their sometime allies.

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© 1994-2012 Agence France-Presse

LES TITRES

• Sahel: 9 out of 11 regions surpass emergency malnutrition levels (ACTED, 9 Jan.)

• Urgent work in Chad (Merlin, 4 Jan.)

• Health and malnutrition in Chad (Helpage, 9 Jan.)

• La Chine fait un don de médicaments antipaludiques au Tchad (Xinhua, 10 jan.)

• Swiss Government Funds IOM Reintegration for Chadian Returnees from Libya in Three Northern Regions in Chad (IOM, 7 Jan)

• L’insécurité en République Centrafricaine favorise un déplacement continu de la population et des contraintes d’accès humanitaires (OCHA, 5 jan.)

10 January 2013 – The United Nations is concerned about the reported military movements of rebel groups along the frontline in northern Mali, as well as related tensions, a spokesperson for the world body said today.

“We ask the Malian rebel groups to abide by Security Council resolutions 2071 and 2085 calling for them to cut off all ties with terrorist organizations,” the spokesperson, Martin Nesirky, added in a news briefing at UN Headquarters in New York.

According to media reports, on Thursday, Islamist rebels seized control of Konna – a city of 50,000 people some 700 kilometres north-east of the capital, Bamako.

Northern Mali has been occupied by radical Islamists after fighting broke out in January 2012 between Government forces and Tuareg rebels – just one of several security, political and humanitarian problems the West African nation has been dealing with since last year.

The renewed clashes in the north, as well as the proliferation of armed groups in the region, drought and political instability in the wake of a military coup d’état in March have uprooted hundreds of thousands of civilians. Over 412,000 people have been forced to flee the country’s north, and an estimated five million people have been affected by the conflict.

The Malian Government and rebel groups are expected to meet for peace talks in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, on 21 January.

“We urge adherence to the cessation of hostilities declared on 4 December 2012 in Ouagadougou and continue to call on the parties to engage in dialogue to address the situation,” Mr. Nesirky told reporters.

He added that the United Nations is supporting the mediation efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and “we look forward to the resumption of negotiations which are now scheduled for 21 January.”

Citing the threat to regional peace from terrorists and Islamic militants in rebel-held northern Mali, the Security Council adopted resolution 2071 in October last year. Amongst its various points, it held out the possibility of the 15-member body endorsing an international military force to restore the unity of the West African nation.

It also called on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to support the Malian political process and provide military and security planners to ECOWAS, the African Union and other partners to help frame a response to a request by Mali’s Transitional Authorities for such a force.

With resolution 2085, adopted in December last year, the Council authorized the deployment of that international military force – the African-led International Support Mission in Mali, to be known as AFISMA – for an initial period of one year.

In his remarks to the media, Mr. Nesirky also said that the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa, Said Djinnit, continues supporting the political talks in Mali, including on the establishment of an inclusive national dialogue and the development of a roadmap for transition. In addition, he noted that Romano Prodi, the UN Special Envoy for the Sahel – in which Mali is located – is in Bamako.

AFISMA is tasked with contributing to the rebuilding of the Malian Defence and Security Forces, as well as supporting the Malian authorities in “recovering the areas in the north under the control of terrorist, extremist and armed groups and in reducing the threat posed by terrorist groups.”

In addition, it will be responsible for, amongst other tasks, supporting the Malian authorities in their primary responsibility to protect the population and to create a secure environment for the civilian-led delivery of humanitarian assistance and the voluntary return of internally displaced persons and refugees.

10 janvier 2013 – Le porte-parole des Nations Unies, Martin Nesirky, a exprimé jeudi la préoccupation de l'ONU concernant les informations de mouvements militaires de groupes rebelles armés autour de la ligne de front au nord du Mali.

« Nous demandons aux groupes rebelles maliens de respecter les résolutions 2071 et 2085 du Conseil de sécurité qui appelle à la rupture des liens avec les organisations terroristes », a déclaré M. Nesirky lors d'un point presse au siège de l'ONU à New York.

Selon la presse, des rebelles islamistes auraient pris le contrôle de la ville de Konna, une ville de 50.000 habitants, située à 700 kilomètres de la capitale malienne Bamako.

Depuis le début de 2012, le Mali fait face à une série de problèmes sécuritaires, politiques et humanitaires. Des combats entre forces gouvernementales et rebelles touaregs ont éclaté dans le nord du pays au mois de janvier. Depuis, des islamistes radicaux ont pris le contrôle de la région, imposant une version extrême de la charia, ainsi que des restrictions, qui visent les femmes en particulier.

La situation dans le nord du Mali a continué de ses détériorer au cours des trois derniers mois, avec la poursuite des violations flagrantes des droits de l'homme et de la destruction de sites culturels et historiques à Tombouctou. Plus de 412.000 personnes ont été contraintes de fuir la région et près de cinq millions au total ont été touchées par le conflit.

Une rencontre entre le gouvernement malien et les groupes rebelles est prévue pour le 21 janvier dans la capitale du Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou, afin de lancer les pourparlers de paix.

« Nous exhortons les parties prenantes à adhérer à la trêve conclue le 4 décembre 2012 à Ouagadougou et nous continuons d'appeler au dialogue pour trouver une solution à cette situation », a indiqué le porte-parole en rappelant que l'ONU soutien les efforts de médiation de la Communauté économique des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (CEDEAO).

La résolution 2071, adoptée par Le Conseil de sécurité en octobre envisage la possibilité de constituer une force internationale pour aider le Mali à rétablir l'unité de son territoire, et charge le Secrétaire général des Nations Unies, Ban Ki-moon, à soutenir le processus politique de ce pays et de mettre des spécialistes de la planification militaire et des questions de sécurité à disposition de la CEDEAO et de l'Union africaine pour mener à bien la planification conjointe qui permettrait à cette force internationale de voir le jour.

La résolution 2085, adoptée en décembre, autorise le déploiement de la Mission internationale de soutien au Mali sous conduite africaine (MISMA), pour une période initiale d'un an. La force sera notamment chargée d'aider les autorités maliennes à reprendre les zones du nord su pays contrôlées par des groupes armés terroristes et extrémistes.

M. Nesirky a rappelé que le Représentant spécial du Secrétaire général de l'ONU pour l'Afrique de l'Ouest, Saïd Djinnit, continue de soutenir les négociations politiques au mali, dont l'établissement d'un dialogue national inclusif et le développement d'une feuille de route pour la transition.

En sa qualité d’Envoyé Spécial du Secrétaire Général des Nations Unies pour le Sahel, Monsieur Romano Prodi a eu l’honneur et le plaisir de rencontrer à Bamako ce jeudi 10 janvier 2013, les plus hautes autorités et leaders du Mali ainsi que des représentants de la Société Civile. Cette importante visite s’est déroulée dans un contexte de détérioration de la situation sécuritaire du pays.

En cette période difficile que traverse le pays, Monsieur Prodi a tout d’abord réitéré, le soutien de l’Organisation des Nations Unies au peuple malien et à ses Autorités. Il a également rappelé les dispositions pertinentes de la Résolution 2085 qui met l’accent sur les dispositions de l’Accord-cadre signé le 6 avril 2012, visant à établir un dialogue politique inclusif, à définir une feuille de route pour la transition et à rétablir l’ordre constitutionnel et l’unité nationale. Dans le même ordre d’idée, l’Organisation des Nations Unies se propose d’appuyer les Autorités de Transition afin de mettre en place rapidement un cadre de référence crédible de négociations avec les groupes armés.

Monsieur Prodi a ensuite rappelé que la Résolution 2085 du Conseil de Sécurité de l’ONU exigeait des groupes rebelles maliens qu’ils rompent tout lien avec les organisations terroristes et prennent à cet effet des mesures concrètes et constatables allant dans ce sens. Il a exhorté toutes les parties prenantes au conflit à respecter strictement le Droit International Humanitaire et à cesser tous les types d’abus et de violation des Droits de l’Homme. Parallèlement, Monsieur Prodi a mentionné les dispositions de la même Résolution qui autorise le déploiement de la Mission internationale de soutien au Mali sous conduite africaine (MISMA).

Monsieur Prodi a donné l’assurance au peuple malien, de la poursuite des efforts considérables que les Nations Unies et ses partenaires humanitaires, déploient en vue de soutenir une assistance efficace au profit des populations rendues vulnérables par les effets de la crise au nord, l’insécurité alimentaire et la malnutrition. Enfin, le Système des Nations Unies au Mali continuera de soutenir toutes les initiatives visant à renforcer la gouvernance démocratique et la restauration de la paix au Mali en travaillant étroitement avec les Autorités Nationales.

Addis Ababa January 10/2013 Germany has made available in 2012 additional 41.5 million Euro for the areas of food security, drought resilience and participatory forest management in Ethiopia, Embassy of Germany here said. According to a statement the Embassy sent to ENA, in addition one million Euro humanitarian assistance has been provided in the area of food assistance to Somali, Eritrean and Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia. The statement said the fund will be implemented by German and international development agencies. Germany has pledged more than 100 million Euro for the bilateral development cooperation from 2011-2014. It said the agreed priority sectors of Ethio-German cooperation are Education (TVET and Higher Education) as well as the Sustainable Land Management Program. "I would like to commend the government of Ethiopia for its impressive development achievements over the last years. Thus Ethiopia has become one of the few African MDG performers," the statement quoted German Ambassador to Ethiopia, Lieselore Cyrus as saying on the occasion of the additional funding the German government provided to Ethiopia. State Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Ahmed Shide on his part reiterated that the development cooperation between Ethiopia and Germany is firm and dates back many years, according to the statement. The priorities of the Ethiopian government converge with the sound experience and extremely professional support Germany is giving in the fields of food security, education and capacity building, he said. Ethiopia and Germany have been cooperating for over 40 years.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

· On December 14, the U.N. released the 2013 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan (YHRP), requesting $716 million for humanitarian interventions in Yemen. The 2013 YHRP reflects growing humanitarian needs, enhanced capacity of the humanitarian community, improved access in certain areas, and increased focus on Yemen’s transition toward early recovery and development.

· During the last months of 2012, people displaced by fighting in southern Yemen returned home faster and in greater numbers than expected. More than 105,000 people were registered as returnees in Abyan and other southern governorates as of late November, compared to 21,000 returnees at the end of September, according to the U.N.

· USAID/OFDA committed $7 million in January to address agriculture and food security, health, nutrition, protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) needs in Yemen. This assistance builds upon the nearly $120 million in U.S. Government (USG) humanitarian assistance provided to Yemen in FY 2012.

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The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Mohammad Masood Khan (Pakistan):

The members of the Security Council express their grave concern over the reported military movements and attacks by terrorist and extremist groups in the north of Mali, in particular their capture of the city of Konna, near Mopti. This serious deterioration of the situation threatens even more the stability and integrity of Mali and constitutes a direct threat to international peace and security.

The members of the Security Council recall resolutions 2056 (2012), 2071 (2012) and 2085 (2012) adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the urgent need to counter the increasing terrorist threat in Mali.

The members of the Security Council reiterate their call to Member States to assist the settlement of the crisis in Mali and, in particular, to provide assistance to the Malian Defence and Security Forces in order to reduce the threat posed by terrorist organizations and associated groups.

The members of the Security Council express their determination to pursue the full implementation of its resolutions on Mali, in particular resolution 2085 (2012) in all its dimensions. In this context, they call for a rapid deployment of the African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA).

The members of the Security Council call for the immediate issuance of an agreed political road map, which includes serious negotiations with non-extremist Malians in the north and presses for the full restoration of democratic governance.

For information media • not an official record

Says women are integral to formulating roadmap for the transition

Abuja, 10 January—During her visit to Mali, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women Michelle Bachelet called for an end to the escalating violence and human rights violations in the Northern territories, including sexual violence against women, and for the unrestricted delivery of humanitarian assistance. Recalling Security Council resolution 1325, she strongly urged senior leaders and all parties to fully engage women in all processes set up to address the crisis and fully restore the constitutional order and territorial integrity of Mali.

The United Nations is supporting efforts for peace and security in the Sahel region, which is experiencing complex security, political and humanitarian challenges, which are further complicated by the presence of armed groups and devastating human rights violations. Mali is experiencing a political, security, and food crisis, the worst in its history. Since the military coup in March 2012, the occupation of the Northern regions has accelerated causing the displacement of more than 400,000 people. Sexual violence is being used to spread fear among the population, and women and girls are being targeted for disobeying rules imposed by rebels who are instituting a harsh version of sharia law.

Examples of these violations arose in discussions with internally displaced women and civil society activists, which were at the centre of Ms. Bachelet’s daylong trip to Mali on 9 January.

In her meetings with senior government and civil society leaders, Ms. Bachelet underlined that Malian women must be at the centre of all efforts to restore democracy, design and carry out a political process and prepare for elections. She stressed that lasting peace, democracy and sustainable development require an inclusive national dialogue. She called for justice for those who have suffered from violence.

“Women are suffering on a daily basis as they are subjected to gender-based violence and abuses in all the occupied regions. Lasting peace that extends beyond the simple act of signing a peace agreement is unsustainable if it is not rooted in justice. When violations of human rights are not investigated, when victims’ calls for justice are not heard, the risks for renewed violence remain high,” said Michelle Bachelet. “There is a Bambara saying Bolondio kelen te se ka foi taa, meaning when people work together more things get accomplished. So is the case for peacebuilding. Peace mediations, peace agreements, peacebuilding need women’s full participation,” she added.

UN Women Executive Director Bachelet reaffirmed her message, delivered to the UN Security Council in November, that there is an urgent need to adopt specific measures to protect women’s rights and prevent and stop violence against women and children, and that funding must be dedicated to reparations, care and the empowerment of survivors.

In Mali, UN Women is supporting the deployment of units to treat gender-based violence and the establishment of a national pool of psychologists to support women in both occupied and non-occupied areas. UN Women will also continue to support a broad-based and inclusive political dialogue and advocate for women’s participation to be an integral part of the transition. To advance this agenda, Ms. Bachelet launched a training programme for women on mediation and conflict management, attended by parliamentarians and women leaders. UN Women is committed to making sure that the voices of women in Mali are heard and acted upon.

Today, in Nigeria, on the last leg of her West Africa trip, Ms. Bachelet met with commissioners of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to deliver the message of Malian women. She stressed that justice and the participation of the Malian people in mediation and the transition, including women’s leadership and full participation, are fundamental to building a sustainable future in Mali.