Machrine Birungi

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has delivered food to about nine -thousand internally displaced persons in Lainya County.

George Fominyen, WFP communications officer, told Radio Miraya that the UN agency worked with the logistics team, colleagues from other agencies and the specialized rapid response team to deliver parcels of food assistance to IDPs in Logwiri and Luka West of Lainya County. The food parcels include cereals and pulses. The WFP hopes that the food will be able to last at least thirty days.

Insecurity in Lainya County, of the Central Equatoria region, has forced hundreds of households to abandon their homes and either seek refuge in neighboring countries or hide in the bush.

Fominyen said the WFP is troubled by the many people who are probably still in hiding and cannot be reached with the much needed food assistance. “That is one of our major areas of concern, yes we were able to assist 9 thousand people, but then there are many more people who are currently living in places that are far off, in the bushes and who would need a lot of support.”

According to the WFP, there is need to ease access, so that UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations can deliver relief to more people. “We are quite concerned about those we are not able to reach and want to reach them,” said Fominyen. “Allow us to reach people where they feel comfortable and safe to receive assistance,” Forminyen made a plea to the parties in charge of granting access.

WFP wants to make regular food aid deliveries as long as access is granted in order for humanitarian agencies to begin to preposition food as the dry season sets in.

“The bigger picture is that we would need even more understanding from everyone involved that WFP and other humanitarian partners and actors are humanitarians who need to assist these people many of who have been without food for months,” Fominyen clarified. “What is essential is what the people need, it is the fact that we want to assist the people,” he added.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

FRESH VIOLENCE CLAIMS 25 LIVES

Six police officers and four civilians were killed in an ambush by armed men on 28 October in the central Bambari town. A day earlier, 15 people died in fighting on the town’s outskirts between rival militia. The UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, denounced the violence, called for an end to the attacks and reprisals, and appealed for dialogue to resolve the situation. Dozens of people have been killed in a recent surge in violence in the country’s western, eastern and central regions, including the violent attacks that erupted in September in the northern Kaga-Bandoro area.

CHAD

MALNUTRITION HIGH IN ELEVEN REGIONS

Global acute malnutrition currently affects 11.9 per cent of under 5 children, according to the 2016 SMART survey that also found that 2.6 per cent of children across the country are severely acutely malnourished. The results are nearly similar to last year’s (11.7 per cent GAM and 2.8 per cent SAM). Six out of 23 regions are above the 15 per cent emergency threshold for GAM, and 10 are above the 2 per cent emergency threshold for SAM. In total, 11 regions in the Sahel belt, in the north and south of the country are struck by nutritional emergency.

FAMILIES FLEE VIOLENCE IN LAC REGION

More than 200 people, mostly women and children, have fled to Foyo village in Kanem region that neighbours the conflict-hit western Lac region, according to a joint assessment mission on 25 - 26 October. They arrived more than a month ago after fleeing violence and are being hosted by the locals. Food and nutritional assistance are some of the urgent needs.

D.R CONGO

MEASLES ERUPT IN TANGANYIKA PROVINCE

The Governor of the eastern Tanganyika province has declared a measles epidemic. As of 31 October, 2,087 cases were reported, including 55 deaths across 11 health districts in the province. A vaccination campaign is to be launched in November for children between 6 to 59 months with possibility of extending the target.

GHANA

CHOLERA INFECTS 117 IN CAPE COAST

Cholera has erupted in the southern Cape Coast district, with a sudden escalation of cases within days, rising from 36 on 26 October 2016 to 117 by 30 October, notably with no fatality. The cases are originating from communities in the outskirts of Cape Coast Metropolitan. The exponential increase in the number of cases denotes high transmission potential of infections in the communities. Detailed assessment is being conducted to establish the predisposing factors responsible for the high attack rate. A rapid response team has been deployed to support the regional and district response.

RÉPUBLIQUE CENTRAFRICAINE

DE NOUVELLES VIOLENCES FONT 25 MORTS

Le 28 octobre, six agents de police et quatre civils ont été tués dans une embuscade par des hommes armés dans la ville de Bambari, au centre. Un jour plus tôt, 15 personnes sont décédées dans des combats entre milices rivales dans la banlieue de la ville. La Mission de maintien de la paix de l'ONU, la MINUSCA, a dénoncé la violence, appelé à la fin des attaques et des représailles et lancé un appel au dialogue pour résoudre la situation. Des dizaines de personnes ont été tuées dans une récente vague de violence dans les régions ouest, est et du centre du pays, dont de violentes attaques qui ont éclaté en septembre dans la région de Kaga-Bandoro au nord.

TCHAD

MALNUTRITION ÉLEVÉE DANS ONZE RÉGIONS

Global acute malnutrition currently affects 11.9 per cent of under 5 children, according to the 2016 SMART survey that also found that 2.6 per cent of children across the country are severely acutely malnourished. The results are nearly similar to last year’s (11.7 per cent GAM and 2.8 per cent SAM). Six out of 23 regions are above the 15 per cent emergency threshold for GAM, and 10 are above the 2 per cent emergency threshold for SAM. In total, 11 regions in the Sahel belt, in the north and south of the country are struck by nutritional emergency.

DES FAMILLES FUIENT LA VIOLENCE DANS LA RÉGION DU LAC

Plus de 200 personnes, principalement des femmes et des enfants, se sont réfugiées dans le village de Foyo, dans la région du Kanem, voisin de la région ouest du Lac en proie au conflit, selon une mission d'évaluation conjointe du 25 au 26 octobre. Elles sont arrivées plus d'un mois après avoir fuit la violence et ont trouvé refuge chez des habitants. La nourriture et l'assistance nutritionnelle sont quelques-uns des besoins urgents.

RD CONGO

ÉPIDÉMIE DE ROUGEOLE DANS LA PROVINCE DU TANGANYIKA

Le gouverneur de la province orientale du Tanganyika a déclaré une épidémie de rougeole. Au 31 octobre, 2 087 cas avaient été signalés, dont 55 décès dans 11 districts sanitaires de la province. Une campagne de vaccination doit être lancée en novembre pour les enfants de 6 à 59 mois avec possibilité d'extension de la cible.

GHANA

LE CHOLÉRA INFECTE 117 PERSONNES À CAPE COAST

Une épidémie de choléra a éclaté dans le district de Cape Coast, au sud, avec une brusque augmentation des cas en quelques jours, passant de 36 le 26 octobre à 117 au 30 octobre, sans décés. Les cas proviennent de communautés situées dans la banlieue de Cape Coast. L'augmentation exponentielle du nombre de cas indique un potentiel élevé de transmission des infections dans les communautés. Une évaluation détaillée est en cours pour établir les facteurs prédisposant responsables du taux d‘infection élevé. Une équipe d'intervention rapide a été déployée pour appuyer la réponse au niveau régional et du district.

Sécurité

La situation sécuritaire dans la région de l’Extrême-Nord a été marquée par trois incursions de la secte Boko Haram en territoire camerounais dans les départements du Mayo Sava et du Mayo Tsanaga. Deux bergers ont été tués et leur bétail emporté. Par ailleurs, une autre incursion dans la nuit du 29 au 30 octobre dans le village Kangarwa vers Mora a couté la vie à trois civils ; plusieurs maisons ont été incendiées et de nombreuses motocyclettes emportées A Dompla dans la région du Nord non loin de Mbaiboum, des individus armés non encore identifiés ont attaqué un petit campement de réfugiés dans la nuit du 24 au 25 octobre, tuant ainsi un réfugié de la communauté peuhl, qui s’est par la suite déplacée pour s’installer au centre du village

Développements majeurs

La Fondation Ferrero, qu’accompagnaient l’Ambassadeur d’Italie au Cameroun et le Représentant du HCR, a procédé à la rétrocession de quatre salles de classe offertes à l’école publique de Gado Badzere le 25 octobre dans le cadre du Projet Entrepreneurial Michele Ferrero. Ce don vient ainsi renforcer la capacité d’accueil de cette école qui abrite environ 500 élèves inscrits parmi lesquels 243 enfants réfugiés.
L’Ambassadeur d’Italie au Cameroun, Mme Samuela Isopi, en a profité pour visiter les infrastructures qu’abrite le site de Gado et échanger avec les humanitaires présents sur place et les représentants des réfugiés qui lui ont fait part de leurs doléances

Le HCR et le Ministère de l’Economie, de la Planification et de l’Aménagement du Territoire (MINEPAT) ont signé un Accord de partenariat relatif à l’appui au développement des localités abritant des réfugiés au Cameroun, notamment dans les régions de l’Est, de l’Adamaoua et du Nord. Cet accord vise à améliorer les conditions de vie des populations dans les localités abritant les réfugiés centrafricains. Un comité ad hoc chargé de la coordination et du suivi des interventions des partenaires de développement dans ces zones a également été créé par Décision ministérielle.

Un atelier de réflexion s’est tenu à Douala au cours de la semaine sous rubrique en présence de représentants des administrations publiques. Il portait sur l’insertion professionnelle des couches vulnérables au sein de la communauté des refugiés de Douala et recommandation a été faite d’initier un plaidoyer à l’attention du Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Formation Professionnelle (MINEFOP) afin de permettre aux réfugiés d’avoir accès aux bourses de formation que ce ministère propose.

HIGHLIGHTS

• 1.3 million displaced across Borno state

• HRP for 2017 workshop concludes

• Government announces Inter-Ministerial Task Force for north-east

FIGURES

• # people in need of humanitarian assistance 7 m

• # IDPs 1.8 m # of people facing acute food insecurity 4.4 m

• # severe acute malnourished children in Borno state 244,000

• # of displaced in Borno state 1.3

• # of refugees who have crossed into Cameroon, Chad and Niger 187,126

FUNDING

484 million requested (US$)

37.3% funded (as of 31 October 2016)

Displacement Tracking Round XII - 1.3 million displaced across Borno state

The largest number of internally displaced people continues to be in Borno state in Nigeria’s north-east, according to IOM’s Round XII of the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM).

With 97 per cent of displacement due to conflict, there are more than 1.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Borno state and 170,070 in Adamawa. Most of the IDPs, (over 78 per cent) are staying with host families, while fewer than 22 per cent are staying in official and unofficial camps. The numbers of displaced in Maiduguri decreased; according to Round XII there are 873,059 people from outside living in the city. Round XII shows a decrease of 13 per cent to 873,059 IDPs. It is reported some 125,000 people moved back to Mafa, Konduga and Ngala.

Increased coverage

The DTM Round XII increased its number of assessments to 161 camps across four states; Adamawa, Borno, Taraba and Yobe compared to 155 camps assessed in Round XI – this is one indication of the scale up in the humanitarian response. The greatest number of camps is located in Borno with 122 formal and informal settlements, while Adamawa is second highest with 22 camps.

The number of returnees is climbing close to the 1 million mark with 958,549 people returning to their places of origin. These numbers include refugees with 3.67 per cent returning from Cameroon; 1.27 per cent from Chad and 0.94 per cent from Niger.

The DTM guides planning and response for the humanitarian community to target assistance where needs are greatest.

Further details of the DTM Round XII can be found on: https://nigeria.iom.int/sites/default/files/dtm_reports/01%20DTM%20Nigeria%20Round%20XII%20Report%20August%202016.pdf

Registering returnees

UNHCR reported that a system for the registration of returning Nigerians from neighbouring countries continues to be implemented by the Nigerian Immigration Services in partnership with UNHCR. A total of 136,175 returnees were registered in several locations. This includes the Sahuda border entry point in Adamawa where 22,098 people registered; Geidam and Gashua in Yobe saw 24,045 returnees; and Ngala in Borno state 90,572 were registered.

The humanitarian community is encouraged by the positive indicators of the discussions between the Governments of Nigeria and Cameroon on the Tripartite Agreement held on 9 June 2016 in Abuja. The agreement between the two countries is due to be signed before the end of the year.

The majority of people who fled across borders at the height of the conflict went to Cameroon. Both Nigerian and Cameroon Government agreed that it is vital that the return of the Nigerian refugees from Cameroon should take place voluntarily, in safety and dignity. Basic services still need to be ensured for all returning refugees, and the humanitarian community urges the Government to work in close cooperation with humanitarian actors, and share all necessary information regarding returns.

Humanitarian Response Plan for 2017

The targets and priorities for the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Nigeria’s northeast in 2017 was discussed when the Humanitarian Country Team came together during the last week of October.
The Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator/HC a.i. Peter Lundberg opened the two-day meeting with a stark reminder of the urgent needs of people living in the affected states.

In his opening remarks he said, “…from the women I met two days ago in an IDP camp in Maiduguri, their story is very simple, they told me they came from Mafa and Dikwa and arrived in Maiduguri in July, they had still not been registered for food rations and they were clearly desperate to get food.”

Response will focus on three states

There was agreement that the HRP 2017 will focus on the three states in the north-east most affected by conflict and displacement: Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. These three states alone account for close to 9.6 million (some 72 per cent) of the 13.4 people in need. Focusing on them will allow government, NGOs and agencies to use capacities and funding judicially rather than spreading operations too thin on the ground.

The Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), which establishes a collective evidence base of acute humanitarian needs, was completed and validated by the state authorities and humanitarian partners in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe in the north-east. Government offices involved in the response will also contribute to the HRP for 2017 before it is finalized.

The HC a.i. was eager to stress that the data was derived from the 2016 government projected population figures from the National Statistics Office, Cadre Harmonisé, DTM and other processes where government takes the lead and is therefore largely considered.

There was general endorsement at the HNO workshop that the overall figure of people in need is 13.4 million in the six states covered by the HNO (Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Taraba). A common understanding was reached across all sectors of the methodologies used throughout the HNO process, which sets the benchmark for the HRP.

The HRP is designed as a response management tool for the humanitarian community for the immediate, life-saving needs of the people affected by the current crisis in Nigeria’s north-east. During the year, as new areas became accessible to the humanitarian community, the numbers in need increased dramatically and it became apparent that there was insufficient funding to meet the growing needs. As a result the HPR for 2016 was revised to US$484 million but at the end of October was just a little over 36 per cent funded, leaving shortfalls across all sectors. Food remains the most urgent priority and is just 44 per cent funded; protection 11 per cent, health 13 per cent and early recovery and livelihoods still shows zero per cent funding.

Attacks increase in north-east

As the rainy season ends and road conditions improve, the number and frequency of violent attacks is increasing, with three attacks in Maiduguri during the month of October.

All three attacks resulted in loss of life for Nigerian civilians. The most recent attacks occurred on Saturday 29 October, where the Bakassi IDP camp and the National Nigerian Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depot was targeted. The two explosions occurred within minutes of each other at around 0700 hrs and it is believed the attacks were coordinated.

According to reports, the explosion near the NNPC depot was carried out by a female suicide bomber, who was a passenger on a motorized tricycle (keke nepap). Three passengers, the driver and the suicide bomber all died. The explosion at Bakassi camp killed five people who were leaving the camp to fetch firewood, the suicide bomber also died. There were 24 people injured in the two explosions. This followed an incident at Muna Garage on 12 October where a suicide bomber killed eight people and injured 15 bystanders. Muna Garage is the assembly point for all military escorted transport outside Maiduguri, including the transport of goods and food items.

Continued insecurity in many parts of Borno state is challenging the humanitarian community from responding to the crisis in Nigeria’s north-east.

Government announces Inter-Ministerial Task

Force for north-east The Government of Nigeria announced its determination to deal swiftly and decisively with the urgent humanitarian crisis in the north-east of the country. Recognizing that the crisis is one of the worse on the African continent, the Ministry of Budget and National Planning was designated with the responsibility to coordinate an Inter-Ministerial Task Force for the humanitarian response.

Response

Greater cooperation between the government and the humanitarian actors, sharing information and enhancing coordination efforts is designed to give the humanitarian response the impetus required to address urgent life-saving assistance.

There was acknowledgement that the scale and depth of the crisis was underestimated, which places a greater sense of urgency to ensure momentum is maintained in targeting the response.

Peter Lundberg, the Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. welcomed the government’s announcement and “looked forward to seeing some tangible results.” In a recent statement Lundberg also commented that he appreciated all the humanitarian assistance provided by the Government of Nigeria to meet the needs of people in the north-east.

Edward Kallon United Nations Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator designate visits Nigeria

The United National Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRC/HC) for Jordan came on mission to Nigeria to meet UN agencies and members of the humanitarian community prior to taking up his post as the UNRC/HC in Nigeria at the end of November. A Sierra Leonean national, the UNRC/HC designate has worked across conflict affected areas from Afghanistan, to Iraq, Bangladesh, Uganda and Somalia as well as for the Syrian response in Jordan.

Kallon visited all the UN agencies in Abuja, the Federal State Capital and also travelled to Maiduguri and met with the Inter-Sector Working Group. The UNRC/HC outlined his vision for Nigeria and spoke of linking the humanitarian response with early recovery and development. He also spoke of leading the United Nations agencies in Nigeria to ensure they forge a stronger more coordinated body, able to deliver for the people of Nigeria and ensure their needs are met more effectively.

The RC/HC designate returned to Jordan where he will prepare his departure and hand over to his incoming replacement.

Gwoza town, located south of Maiduguri, Borno’s state capital was overtaken by Boko Haram in 2014. The militia group pillaged the town, setting homes and property on fire and causing thousands of people to flee in terror. The militia kidnapped young boys and girls, killed with impunity and caused mayhem in a town that was previously peaceful and relatively prosperous.

About two years later, on 10 April, 2016 the Nigerian Army drove out the militia. Since then, former residents have begun returning home, to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. The returnees are arriving to find critical infrastructure schools, and clinics destroyed. The few medical facilities available are run by UN agencies or international NGOs and are so overcrowded that doctors are treating people on the floor. A make-shift trolley is serving as the town’s ambulance. Some returnees have moved into organised camps where aid workers provide materials to set up temporary shelters. Others have settled in the burnt-out shells of former homes whose owners are yet to return.

In one compound, Ali Mohammed is trying to put his life and home back together. He is one of the few people who stayed behind in Gwoza during the Boko Haram occupation. A retired school teacher, Mohammed narrates his story of the terrible violence inflicted on communities by Boko Haram.

Read the story here

The Boko Haram conflict led to the abduction of over 7,000 women and girls, + 276 Chibok girls

UNFPA welcomes the ongoing negotiations that led to the release of 21 Chibok girls and is expected to lead to the release of more girls who were kidnapped from the north-eastern Nigeria, 276 including the remaining Chibok Girls.