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Somalia: Interview - Four famines mean 20 million may starve in the next six months

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Source: Reuters - Thomson Reuters Foundation
Country: Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen

In 2011, Somalia suffered a famine that killed 260,000 people. The famine was declared in July, but most people had already died by May

By Tom Miles

GENEVA, Feb 16 (Reuters) - More than 20 million people - greater than the population of Romania or Florida - risk dying from starvation within six months in four separate famines, U.N. World Food Programme chief economist Arif Husain says.

Wars in Yemen, northeastern Nigeria and South Sudan have devastated households and driven up prices, while a drought in east Africa has ruined the agricultural economy.

"In my not quite 15 years with the World Food Programme, this is the first time that we are literally talking about famine in four different parts of the world at the same time," he told Reuters in an interview.

Read more on the Thomson Reuters Foundation


Cameroon: Cameroun: Weekly Notes #76 06 - 11 Fév 2017

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Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Country: Cameroon, Nigeria

Sécurité

La situation sécuritaire dans la région de l’Extrême-Nord demeure précaire, et plus particulièrement dans les départements frontaliers du Mayo-Tsanaga, du Mayo-Sava et du Logone et Chari. Après la reconquête de la forêt de Sambissa par l’armée nigériane, les combattants de Boko Haram se sont dispersés et évoluent en petits groupes, perpétrant des attaques dans les localités frontalières côté Cameroun. Le 06 Février, six militaires camerounais ont été blessés dans des combats contre Boko Haram à Gakaram dans le Mayo Sava. Les populations de Bakaresse près de Kolofata ont été dépouillées de tous leurs biens lors d’une incursion de Boko Haram dans la nuit du 07 au 08 Février.

Développements majeurs

Dans le cadre de la stratégie de soutien aux communes et d’autonomisation multi annuelle aux réfugiés centrafricains dont la stratégie de moyens de subsistance 2017 – 2020 est l’un des piliers, le HCR a mené, à travers l’Institut de Formation et de Recherche Démographiques (IFORD), une étude de base portant sur la cartographie des zones de moyens de subsistance et l’analyse de l’économie des ménages dans les régions de l’Est, de l’Adamaoua et du Nord.
Le rapport final de cette étude a été présenté le 09 février à Yaoundé aux partenaires, donateurs et administrations publiques concernées. L’étude avait pour objectif d’évaluer d’une part le niveau de vie socio-économique et l’autosuffisance actuelle des réfugiés centrafricains vivant dans ces régions, ainsi que de leurs populations hôtes, et d’identifier d’autre part leur potentiel dans une perspective d’accroissement de leur résilience pour leur autonomisation.
L’ambassadeur de France au Cameroun, Son Excellence Gilles Thibault, a effectué une visite de terrain sur le site de Gado le 08 Février. Il a, à l’occasion, visité les infrastructures installées : poste de santé, réservoir d’eau, magasins Cash Based Transfert, activités d’autonomisation, centre de prise en charge des femmes et des filles. L’ambassadeur a également rencontré les réfugiés centrafricains, avec lesquels il a échangé sur l’accès aux soins de santé, l’aide alimentaire et les perspectives de retour dans le pays d’origine. Il a exprimé l’engagement de la France en faveur de la sécurité alimentaire des réfugiés vivant au Cameroun en déclarant que « la France a obtenu un financement afin de soutenir le Programme Alimentaire Mondial (PAM) et que Paris fera le plaidoyer nécessaire auprès des autres donateurs pour soutenir davantage le PAM ». La veille, l’ambassadeur a visité les réfugiés installés dans le village de Lokoti, après avoir inauguré des salles de classe à Meidougou, aux côtés du Gouverneur de la Région de l’Adamaoua et de toutes les autorités administratives de Meiganga.

Région de l’Extrême-Nord

Statistiques

Le camp de Minawao compte un total de 61 344 individus (16 499 ménages) enregistrés au 11 Février.

Protection Un total de 51 individus (34 ménages) est arrivé spontanément au centre de transit de Gourounguel au cours de la période sous revue. La majorité de ces nouveaux arrivés proviennent des villages camerounais de Meme, Zelevet, Mora, Bogo, Kashimri, Double, Tchakarmari, Guider et Yagoua où ils vivaient depuis le début de la crise et arrivent vers le camp pour des besoins de regroupement familial. Une minorité arrive directement de Mubi, de Maidugouri et de Lagos au Nigéria où ils fuient les conditions de vie rendues difficiles par les exactions des combattants de Boko Haram.
Par ailleurs, un total de128 individus (92 ménages) ont été screenés et transférés du centre de transit vers le camp de Minawao.
Un rapport de protection menée auprès de la frontière fait état de 204 demandeurs d’asile nigérians interpellés à Kolofata et renvoyés à Banki au Nigéria le 10 février. Le HCR, conscient des défis sécuritaires dans la zone, ne cesse de déployer des efforts de plaidoyer auprès des autorités camerounaises en vue de maintenir l’accès à l’asile et de respecter ainsi le principe international de non refoulement.

Protection de l’enfance

Dans le but d’améliorer l’environnement de protection des enfants, une réunion s’est tenue avec les enfants non accompagnés, les enfants séparés adolescents et leurs familles d’accueil en vue de sensibiliser les familles d’accueil des enfants non accompagnés (ENA) et des réfugiés sur les conséquences de la sortie non autorisée du camp de Minawao. A l’issue de cette réunion, il a été recommandé entre autres de dénoncer systématiquement toute tentative ou intention cachée de retour au Nigeria de familles ayant des ENA à leur charge, d’améliorer les relations parents-enfants afin de limiter les risques de fuite, de traiter les enfants avec dignité et humanité et d’assurer la scolarité de ces enfants.

Education

En vue d’améliorer l’éducation des enfants en âge préscolaire, une supervision conjointe a été conduite le 09 Février dans les centres préscolaires du camp avec le Ministère de l’Education de Base. Il s’est agi de recycler et de renforcer les capacités de 21 animateurs pédagogiques du camp afin de leur permettre d’améliorer les méthodes de tenue des cahiers de préparation des leçons, de préparation des cours et des enseignements.
Les élèves du camp ont par ailleurs activement pris part aux activités de célébration de la 51ème fête nationale de la jeunesse à travers des activités culturelles, récréatives et sportives, activités clôturées par le défilé au camp sous le regard des partenaires et autorités traditionnelles.
Dans le cadre de l’alphabétisation fonctionnelle, un total de 437 apprenants (233 femmes et 204 hommes) a été entretenu sur « l’hygiène et la salubrité » au cours d’une causerie éducative. Ces apprenants seront des porte-paroles chargés de sensibiliser la communauté sur l’importance de l’hygiène et de la salubrité afin de garder leur environ et leur espace de vie propres et sains, et de réduire de ce fait les risques de maladies.

Régions de l’Est, de l’Adamaoua et du Nord

Protection

Une mission du HCR a effectué un monitoring des frontières le 07 Février à Yamba et à Ngaoui dans la région de l’Adamaoua, suite aux violences survenues le week-end du 28 au 30 janvier dans des villages centrafricains non loin de la frontière. La mission a rencontré les éléments de la police des frontières, et a recensé 85 nouveaux arrivants. Ces derniers ont été enregistrés et il leur sera apporté assistance et protection. Suite à l’arrivée continue des demandeurs d’asile centrafricains ces dernières semaines, le HCR prête une attention particulière à cette situation dans un contexte où les fonds d’assistance humanitaire sont en constante baisse et où une perspective de retour est incertain compte tenu de la situation sécuritaire en RCA.
Dans le cadre de la stratégie durable du Ministère de l’Economie, de la Planification et de l’Aménagement du Territoire (MINEPAT) concernant la gestion des réfugiés, un consultant de ce département ministériel s’est rendu dans les sites organisés de Lolo, Mbile, Timangolo et Ngarisingo, ainsi qu’à Mandjou en vue de mener une étude, initiée par le Gouvernement camerounais, qui porte sur les conditions de retour des réfugiés centrafricains. Le consultant a rencontré les réfugiés et a échangé avec eux sur le rapatriement volontaire, la situation sécuritaire dans leur pays d’origine, et la possibilité de leur intégration au Cameroun. Cette étude permettra au MINEPAT de prendre en compte les réfugiés dans la planification de ses activités de développement.

Biométrie

L’opération de vérification/enrôlement des réfugiés à la biométrie dans les régions de l’Est, de l’Adamaoua et du Nord se poursuit. Un total de 3 186 individus (1 729 femmes et 1 457 hommes) a été enrôlé au cours de la semaine sous rubrique dans les centres de Libongo à l’Est et de Boforo dans l’Adamaoua. Ceci porte à 132 091 individus (69 847 femmes et 62 244 hommes) le nombre de personnes vérifiées depuis le début de l’opération en Février 2016.
L’opération se poursuivra dans les localités de Yola à l’Est et de Bindiba dans l’Adamaoua.

Moyens de subsistance

Dans le souci de mieux gérer l’environnement et l’écosystème d’une part, et de résoudre les difficultés d’accès au bois de chauffe par les réfugiés d’autre part, 100 femmes réfugiées sont formées depuis le 08 Février en fabrication de foyers améliorés et production de briquettes sur le site de Mbile. Chaque femme ainsi formée dans le cadre de ce projet aura la charge de former en retour 40 autres femmes réfugiées afin de multiplier les résultats de cette activité. La disponibilité de l’espace reste la difficulté majeure pour la réalisation de ces activités.

South Sudan: South Sudan monthly market price monitoring bulletin, January 2017

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Source: World Food Programme
Country: South Sudan

HIGHLIGHTS

  • In December 2016, year-on-year overall and food inflation rates for South Sudan stood at 479 percent and 517 percent, respectively, indicating a significant increase in the cost of living compared to the same month last year. The month-on-month cost of living based on Consumer Price Indices increased by 23 percent from November to December 2016.

  • The South Sudan Pound (SSP) against the US$ has continued to depreciate with divergence between the parallel and official market exchange rates. In Juba, the SSP was exchanging at SSP 100.5/US$ in the parallel market in January while the official rate stood at SSP 82/US$. This indicates a depreciation of SSD by 13 percent in the parallel market and by 6 percent as per the official rate, compared to December.

  • Compared to last month, fuel prices increased in Bor by 28 percent and in Yida by 45 percent whilst the price has declined in Aweil by 40 percent. The retail prices of petrol in the parallel market stood at SSP 96 in Aweil, SSP 160 in Yida and SSP 180 in Juba. The official rate of fuel in Juba was SSP 22 per litre; however, supply from fuel stations was very limited.

  • The distribution of in-kind humanitarian assistance and minimal production in pocket areas led to a reduced prices of staples in some markets. The price of white sorghum declined against the preceding month in Yida (40 percent) and Bentiu (52 percent) and in Bor white maize declined by 8 percent. However, Juba has experienced continued price surges (higher than 100 percent) of white sorghum and white maize.

  • The supply of field beans (janjaro), vegetable oil and wheat flour were constrained by the scarcity of hard currency and high transaction costs. On average, the retail prices of field beans (janjaro), vegetable oil and wheat flour have increased within ranges of 19-31 percent, 15-107 percent and 14-35 percent, respectively against the preceding month in most WFP monitored markets.

  • The prevailing localized insecurity has limited trade flows from local production to deficit area markets. Given the sporadic blockade of roads compounded by unpredictability of the economic and political situation, the flow of commodities from source markets to demand areas is not likely to improve in the coming months.

Niger: Niger - Diffa: Access, Insecurity and Internal displacements (as of 14 Feb 2017)

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Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Country: Niger, Nigeria

The security situation in south-eastern Niger continues to deteriorate due to repeated 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 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.

South Sudan: South Sudan Humanitarian Bulletin Issue 3 | 17 February 2017

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Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Country: South Sudan

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Humanitarian organizations will target some 5.8 million people across South Sudan with humanitarian assistance and protection in 2017.

  • Displaced people arrive in Kodok and in Aburoc following clashes on the western bank of the River Nile in and around Wau Shilluk.

  • Displacement, loss of property and violations against civilians reported by people displaced by fighting in parts of Nasir.

  • High needs reported amongst the conflict-affected population in Ngo Halima and Ngisa in the Greater Baggari area, in Wau County.

FIGURES

No. of Internally Displaced People - 1.89 million

No. of refugees in neighboring countries 1.5 million

No. of people assisted in 2016 (as of 31 Dec) - 5.1

$1.6 billion needed to provide life-saving assistance and protection to 5.8 million people

Humanitarian organizations have appealed for US$1.6 billion to provide life-saving assistance and protection to 5.8 million people Humanitarian organizations have appealed for US$1.6 billion to provide life-saving assistance and protection to 5.8 million people across South Sudan under the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).

“The humanitarian situation in South Sudan has deteriorated dramatically due to the devastating combination of conflict, economic decline and climatic shocks,” said Mr. Eugene Owusu, the Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan. “In 2017, we are facing unprecedented needs, in an unprecedented number of locations, and these needs will increase during the upcoming lean season.” Humanitarian organizations estimate that some 7.5 million people across South Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection in 2017. Since the conflict began in December 2013, about 3.4 million people have been forced to flee their homes.

Horrendous atrocities have been reported, including widespread sexual violence, and food insecurity and malnutrition have skyrocketed. According to food security experts, the risk of famine is real for thousands of people in conflict-affected communities and fooddeficit areas. “With needs rising rapidly, we have rigorously prioritized the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan to target those who most urgently require assistance and protection,” said Mr. Owusu. “It is imperative that this appeal is funded early, and funded fully, so that the aid workers deployed across South Sudan can respond robustly and rapidly.” In South Sudan, humanitarian organizations use the window of opportunity provided by the dry season to deliver supplies by road. When the rains set in, usually in May, most roads become impassable and supplies must be delivered by air. This multiplies the cost of the humanitarian operation, which is one of the largest and most complex in the world.

“In 2016, we reached more than 5 million people, but the crisis deepened and spread as conflict continued. In 2017, we are determined to reach more people, but we urgently need the funding to do so,” said Mr. Owusu. “I appeal to the international community, which has given so generously to this young country, to support us now. If we fail to act swiftly, lives may be lost

Nigeria: Seven steps to saving lives and assisting people in Nigeria and Lake Chad Basin

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Source: Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, ActionAid, COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Norwegian Refugee Council, Tearfund, CARE, Caritas, Search for Common Ground, Christian Aid, Mercy Corps, Action Contre la Faim France, Médecins du Monde, Oxfam, International Rescue Committee, Refugees International, Save the Children, Plan, Secours Islamique France, Center for Civilians in Conflict
Country: Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria

A violent eight-year conflict originating in Nigeria has intensified in the last four years and spread across borders into Niger, Chad and Cameroon, resulting in Africa’s biggest humanitarian and protection crisis.

Across the Lake Chad Basin, 17 million people are affected by the conflict, and over 2.6 million – of which 1.5 million are children – have fled their homes in search of safety and protection. Hunger and malnutrition remain at critical levels with 7.1 million people severely food insecure – 5.1 million of them in Nigeria alone. In Borno State in northeast Nigeria, at least 400,000 people could currently be experiencing famine- like conditions.

Collectively governments, UN, NGOs and donors have been slow to acknowledge the scale of the crisis, shift gear from development to humanitarian mode to meet needs at scale, effectively mobilize resources, and gain access to those trapped by conflict. Military and political objectives in the fight against Boko Haram have trumped humanitarian concerns. However, a large humanitarian operation is now under way. The number of deaths and rates of acute malnutrition have been reduced in some areas where access has been possible in Nigeria, while in Niger the humanitarian response remains patchy, in Cameroon the food insecurity remains alarmingly high and Chad remains the forgotten crisis amidst a forgotten crisis.

On the 23rd and 24th of February 2017 the international community will convene in Oslo, Norway to discuss how to address the humanitarian crisis in North East Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin. As concerned non- governmental organisations we highly welcome this initiative. The Oslo donor conference is a welcome chance to raise the profile of the crisis, address the urgent humanitarian needs, raise more money from a wider set of donors, and come up with a concrete set of recommendations and proposals to strengthen the collective response to the crisis and the long-term needs in the region. Below are seven steps needed to save more lives and assist people in Nigeria and Lake Chad Basin.

Step 1: Put Protection of Civilians at the Centre of Response

Prioritise the Protection of Civilians. Women, girls, men and boys have been subjected to horrific levels of human rights abuses and threats including sexual violence, abductions, killings, torture, forced recruitment, forced disappearance and arbitrary detention. Boko Haram continues to attack and abuse civilians, while soldiers, police, and government officials have allegedly used their positions of authority and gifts of desperately needed food or other items to sexually exploit and abuse vulnerable people, particularly women and girls. Separate incidents of rape have also been reported at the hands of security forces. Military interventions must uphold people's rights in accordance with international humanitarian law and should not exacerbate the humanitarian situation. Accountability measures must be put in place to prosecute those who harm civilians. A particular priority should be the development of specific livelihood and prevention strategies that protect women and girls from violence, rape and sexual exploitation. Attention must also be paid to the significant risks faced by boys and men who are frequently killed, detained, conscripted or disappeared. Aid has been militarized with military actors responsible for camp management and aid distribution, especially in newly accessible areas. We call on governments to ensure that food reaches the affected population, including IDPs in camps in newly accessible areas without any restrictions. It is important that camp management is transferred over to civilian authorities as soon as possible, within a clear timeline. Emergency measures that have attempted to cut off Boko Haram from their food supplies and revenue sources have in the process cut people off from their livelihoods, markets and access to food. Governments have a duty to protect and facilitate people’s freedom of movement and access to their livelihoods including fishing, farming and markets. Governments in the region must also uphold the right of people to flee conflict and violence, and respect international protection measures for refugees such as the principle of non-refoulement.

Step 2: Scale-up the Food and Nutrition Response in Nigeria and the Region

An urgent scale up of the food and nutrition response is needed. The bulk of funding required for 2017 is for nutrition and food security. Sufficient, timely and flexible funding is needed to ensure the scale-up of in-kind food where necessary, and cash so that people can buy food. Improved coordination and leadership is essential to reach more people with food assistance in the coming months to stave off hunger in regional countries, and famine in Nigeria – the latter requires a full food pipeline without further delay. The UN and humanitarian community need to develop clear contingency plans and pre- position food and other relief items to ensure lifesaving aid can be rapidly deployed as new areas become accessible and where hunger and malnutrition is likely to be most dire. Funding also needs to be increased for emergency nutrition to combat severe levels of malnutrition and prevent children from dying. The long-term health impacts of malnutrition are extreme and a scale-up of malnutrition screening and treatment services is required. Children who are malnourished at the start of life are also severely disadvantaged in their ability to learn. Funding for livelihoods and food security also needs to be increased. Without agriculture and livestock support, many farmers and herders will not be able to produce their own food or earn an income. 78% of IDPs in Nigeria are living in host communities, placing considerable strain on the latter’s limited resources. We therefore need a coordinated coherent out of camp humanitarian strategy and funding for host community response.

Step 3: Increase Access to More, Better and Safe Quality Education

Give children and youth a passport to their future. 3 245 000 children are in need of emergency education in the region. Although schools, teachers and students have been deliberately targeted in this conflict, the education sector is heavily underfunded. This has to change. Every day a child is out of school is a day too many. Education not only has an instrumental role to play in helping the affected children heal the wounds from a terrible conflict, feel protected and acquire the necessary skills to progress, but education is also the foundation needed for the region to develop and prosper. This is why we urgently call on all humanitarian actors, including governments, to recognize education as key to the response. The funding gap for education needs to be closed. Funding should include a focus on systems strengthening, reconstruction of school buildings and payment and training of teachers; as well as strengthening of community participation, particularly through School Based Management Committees. The humanitarian response must also support quality non-formal education programs targeting IDP children in both camps and host communities. Furthermore, we call for the immediate cessation of attacks against educational facilities, personnel, and students as well as a stop to the military use of such infrastructures in line with the Safe School Declaration. We encourage all parties to the conflict to vacate immediately any schools they are occupying and ensure that schools are safe for students to return. Teachers must be given the necessary training in conflict-sensitive approaches to education, including how to keep children safe at school. Particular attention should be given to the teachers and children who have been targeted, abducted and physically and/or psychologically mistreated due to the conflict.

Step 4: Safeguard Humanitarian Space: Safe Movement to Reach more People in Need

Safe access to people must be guaranteed. Ensuring that people in need can reach humanitarian assistance is the biggest challenge for humanitarian operations due to insecurity and restrictions on freedom of movement. People must be able to flee areas of conflict and reach lifesaving assistance. There is also an urgent need to increase agencies’ ability to access hard to reach areas to meet humanitarian need. It is therefore essential that governments provide unhindered humanitarian access to communities, particularly in insecure and inaccessible areas. Bureaucratic obstacles must be removed, such as difficulties with registration and unclear processes for visas and customs clearance, including pharmaceuticals, as these delay and hinder humanitarian operations. In northeast Nigeria, Niger and Chad armed escorts are required or are being used by some agencies to access populations in insecure zones. The use of armed escorts in aid provision can limit NGO activities, as being associated with the military may put staff and beneficiaries at risk. Alternatives for allowing movement within insecure areas are needed, and this requires greater investment and resources to facilitate access negotiations and improve civil-military coordination, including increasing the number of civil-military and access staff in all four countries. A priority should be establishing clear, written civil-military coordination guidelines in accordance with the international UN Guidelines on the Use of Military and Civil Defence Assets to Support UN Humanitarian Activities in Complex Emergencies. Such coordination is also imperative for facilitating rapid response mechanisms (RRM), and ensuring that such mechanisms can operate in line with humanitarian principles – maintaining neutrality, impartiality and independence. All RRMs should be designed with the ability to operate independently from the military and with strong coordination across all sectors to ensure the strongest response with the widest reach possible.

Step 5: Strengthen Leadership of the Response and Improve Humanitarian Coordination

Ensure greater investment in further strengthening UN, government and NGO leadership, decision making, coordination and the accountability of the humanitarian response. This can be achieved through additional resources for reliable data collection, increasing the number of information managers and better identifying needs and gaps. It also requires clarification roles and responsibilities in order to improve prioritisation, orient operational partners and adapt responses to ensure a needs-based response that is accountable to affected people. We welcome the shift of the centre of gravity of the response in Nigeria from Abuja to Maiduguri, and we need to ensure that information and communication sharing between field-level working groups and clusters and the capitals are strengthened in all four countries. We need stronger local, national and international NGO representation in government-led coordination platforms as the main implementers of assistance on the ground. In Nigeria, coordination of the Inter- Ministerial Task Force (IMTF) with other government-mandated agencies needs strengthening, and interlocutors with humanitarian community need to be clearly identified. We need donors to fund the humanitarian response plans in order to consolidate gains and to meet the needs of a greater number of people. We need a clear resource mobilization plan, and better coordination between humanitarian and development actors. The critically needed support to Nigeria must not compromise the support to regional countries. Governments of the region also need to allocate greater resources to the response and be clear and transparent about what they are doing.

Step 6: Ensure All Returns are Safe, Voluntary and Dignified

Minimum standards must be met before genuine returns can take place. Surveys conducted with IDPs show that many people wish to return back to their homes. However, they are also explicit that they are only willing to return under certain conditions, such as guarantees of security and assurances that they will be safe, and access basic services and livelihoods. Accurate figures on the numbers who have so far returned are unavailable as there is no tracking in place to monitor the returns, including of refugees who are also moving across borders in the region. Moreover, many “returns” are actually secondary displacement, as people move to towns closer to home but aren’t able to return to their villages of origin. All actors must recognise that such movement does not in fact meet the definition of “return” as a recognised durable solution. The Governments of Nigeria, and regional governments and international community must ensure that all return of IDPs to their homes or areas of origin is voluntary and safe. While many IDPs are eager to return home, they must be given accurate information to make independent decisions about when to do so. Civilians cannot be part of strategies aimed at holding territory, and dispersal of IDPs to areas closer to home is not an appropriate solution for overcrowding. Channels for communicating and coordinating on the response to people’s movement should be established and systems for tracking and monitoring movement should be put in place to ensure timely identification of needs and protection issues, and to respond to these effectively. As both return and secondary movement continue, security of tenure, access to land and other issues related to housing, land and property must be addressed to support livelihoods, safety, and social cohesion. All returns must be accompanied by security guarantees, repair of damaged infrastructure and property and the provision of humanitarian assistance and basic services, including dispute resolution. Displaced people should not be encouraged to return where service providers and local authorities have not. Meanwhile, it remains imperative to improve conditions and scale up assistance to IDPs in camps and host communities. Returns should be a choice rather than as a last resort because of appalling living conditions in areas of displacement.

Step 7: Build Resilience and Increase Local Capacity

Importance of building resilience and addressing long term solutions. The crisis is taking place against a backdrop of long-term vulnerability to a range of shocks and hazards, including conflict, climate change, environmental degradation, deep-rooted poverty, joblessness and lack of good governance. For this reason, whilst maintaining an emphasis on life-saving humanitarian assistance and meeting urgent needs, it is also crucial to tackle the underlying causes of the conflict. We call on donors and governments to allocate longer term and predictable funding that allows for the response to incorporate a resilience-building, long-term and conflict-sensitive approach that creates links between humanitarian and development efforts. It is also important to target not only displaced people but also host communities and other affected groups, so as not to put at risk the social cohesion between them. The humanitarian community must support and work with local partners to ensure sustainability and local ownership. There is a need to support the livelihoods of affected people, including farmers who have been forced from their land, fishermen who are unable to access the lake due to insecurity, traders who are unable to access markets. The affected population must receive assistance that help to build their assets, so that they do not resort to risky or short term strategies, such as selling tools or livestock which are vital for their future prospects. Long term access to basic services such as water, health and education must be provided to all. The needs of particularly vulnerable groups, such as women and girls, must be identified and addressed. The affected people in the area are agents of their own change, and a resilience-building approach should involve them closely in planning and build on their existing methods for tackling the risks they face. It must therefore be a priority for all actors involved in the humanitarian response to build strategic relationships with local organisations, civil society and stakeholders. Above all, a security approach alone will not provide a long-term solution to this crisis. It is only through investing in political solutions, protecting people, upholding their rights, and investing development and the regions’ people, particularly the children and youth, will we witness peace again in the region.

This statement is endorsed by the following NGOs:

ActionAid Nigeria

Action Against Hunger

CAFOD

CARE International

Center for Civilians in Conflict

Christian Aid

Coopi - Cooperazione Internazionale

Caritas Norway

eHealth Africa

GAIN

International Rescue Committee

Medecins Du Monde

Mercy Corps

Norwegian Refugee Council

OXFAM

Plan International

Refugees International

Save the Children

Search for Common Ground

SIF - Secours Islamique France

Tearfund

World University Service (WUS) ZOA

Footnotes

1 Lake Chad Basin Humanitarian Needs and Requirement Overview (2017), http://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/2017-lake-chad-basin-humanitarian-needs-and-requirement-overview

2 IOM (2016), “Regional Displacement and Human Mobility Analysis”, Dec. 2016, http://www.globaldtm.info/regional-displacement-and-human-mobility-analysis/

3 Lake Chad Basin: Crisis Overview (8 December 2016), http://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/lake-chad-basin-crisis-overview-8-december-2016

4 FEWS NET, (13 December 2016), http://www.fews.net/west-africa/nigeria/alert/december-13-2016

5 Human Rights Watch (2016), “Nigeria: Officials Abusing Displaced Women, Girls Displaced by Boko Haram and Victims Twice Over”, https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/10/31/nigeria-officials-abusing-displaced-women-girls

6 IOM (2016), “Regional Displacement and Human Mobility Analysis”, Dec. 2016, http://www.globaldtm.info/regional-displacement-and-human-mobility-analysis/

7 Lake Chad Basin Humanitarian Needs and Requirement Overview (2017), http://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/2017-lake-chad-basin-humanitarian-needs-and-requirement-overview

8 The Safe Schools Declaration is an inter-governmental political commitment that express political support for the protection of students, teachers, and schools during times of armed conflict. As of January 2017, 57 countries have endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, including Chad, Niger and Nigeria.

9 http://ochaonline.un.org/cmcs/guidelines

Burkina Faso: Burkina Faso : Aperçu des Besoins humanitaires 2017 (novembre 2016)

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Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Country: Burkina Faso, Mali

BESOINS HUMANITAIRES ET CHIFFRES CLÉ

Le Burkina Faso est caractérisé par des poches de vulnérabilité saisonnière et chronique notamment dans les régions du Sahel, de la Boucle du Mouhoun, dans le Sud, le Centre Nord et dans l’Est. Malgré les différentes actions du Gouvernement et des partenaires humanitaires, les taux de malnutrition restent élevés dans le pays. L’insécurité au nord du pays, les tensions sociales et communautaires, les effets des catastrophes naturelles et l’exposition aux épidémies exacerbent la fragilité des populations. Les partenaires humanitaires estiment qu’environ 861 000 personnes dont 119 000 femmes et 637 000 enfants auront besoin d’une assistance humanitaire en 2017.

1. Nutrition

Les différentes enquêtes SMART ont montré que durant les cinq dernières années, la situation a peu évolué. 621 582 cas de malnutrition aiguë sont attendus en 2017, dont 188170 enfants de moins de 5 ans estimés à risque de malnutrition aiguë sévère (MAS) et 433 412 à risque de malnutrition modérée (MAM). Huit régions sont particulièrement affectées par la malnutrition aiguë sévère avec des taux de prévalence supérieurs au seuil d’urgence de 2%. Quelle que soit la région, les garçons sont plus touchés que les filles. 239 043 femmes enceintes et allaitantes à risque de malnutrition sont aussi identifiées. Toutefois, ces taux particulièrement élevés pourraient connaitre une amélioration significative en période post-récolte.

2. Sécurité alimentaire

L’analyse du Cadre Harmonisé d’octobre 2016 estime que 153 262 personnes sont actuellement en phase de crise (phase trois), et selon les projections, elles seront 212 930 pendant la période de soudure 2017. Un total de 2 446 812 personnes, seraient sous stress (phase deux) pour la même période de soudure 2017 (juin, juillet, août 2017). En milieu rural 80% des ménages tirent leurs revenus des activités agrosylvo-pastorales.

3. Mouvement des populations

Suite aux conflits entre l’armée malienne et les différents groupes armés au nord du Mali en 2012, plusieurs milliers de maliens ont traversé les frontières pour trouver refuge dans les pays limitrophes dont le Burkina Faso. Selon UNHCR, au 31 octobre 2016, 32 227 réfugiés sont encore présents au Burkina Faso dont 90% sont installés dans la région du Sahel, plus précisément dans les camps de Mentao, Goudoubo et dans des communautés hôtes. La situation sécuritaire au Mali ne permet pas d’envisager, à moyen terme, un rapatriement organisé en toute dignité et sécurité.

4. Préparation aux urgences

Le Burkina Faso fait régulièrement face à diverses situations d’urgences qui génèrent des besoins humanitaires, particulièrement dans les régions du Sahel, du Centre Nord, du Nord, de l’Est, de la Boucle du Mouhoun, du Centre Ouest et du Centre. En 2017, 57 367 personnes sont estimées à risque d’éventuelles catastrophes naturelles (notamment inondations et sècheresse), d’épidémies ou autres conflits intercommunautaires.

Nigeria: Multiple suicide bombing targets Nigerian refugees, Boko Haram blamed

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Source: Reuters - Thomson Reuters Foundation
Country: Nigeria

The attackers detonated their bombs near a refugee camp, outside which crowds were gathering around trucks before trying to return home

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Seven suspected Boko Haram militants blew themselves on the outskirts of a northeast Nigerian city on Friday, a local aid agency said, in an attack witnesses said targeted refugees preparing to return to their home villages.

Read more on Thomson Reuters Foundation


Nigeria: Nigeria: Shelter Severity in Camps, Host Communities and Areas of Returns

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Source: International Organization for Migration, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, CCCM Cluster, Shelter Cluster
Country: Nigeria

Nigeria: Nutrition and Food Security Surveillance: North East Nigeria – Emergency Survey

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Source: UN Children's Fund, Nutrition Cluster
Country: Nigeria

Nigeria: WHO teams assist people in hard-to-reach areas of Nigeria

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Source: World Health Organization
Country: Nigeria

Medical teams supported by WHO set up mobile clinics in hard to access areas of north-eastern Nigeria. The teams are called “hard-to-reach” teams (HTR) because their mission is to reach remote and insecure areas to provide urgently needed care to populations deprived of essential health services. The 8-year conflict has caused widespread forced displacement and acute food and nutrition insecurity. Large areas of Borno state, the most-affected state, remain inaccessible to humanitarian assistance.

The years of violent conflict in north-eastern Nigeria have deprived millions of people of even the most basic of health care services. The full scale of the humanitarian crisis begins to be revealed as towns and villages, previously occupied by armed groups, gradually become more accessible. Malnutrition is widespread and nearly 6 million men, women, children and infants urgently need health assistance.

Read the story here

Mali: Bulletin d’information : CICR au Mali - janvier 2017

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Source: International Committee of the Red Cross
Country: Mali

Ce document passe en revue quelques unes de nos activités en 2016 en mettant en avant l'impact sur certains de nos bénéficiaires.

Au sommaire :

Keniéroba : quand les détenus contribuent à l'amélioration de leur alimentation

Le périmètre irrigué villageois (PIV), une technique de production rizicole soutenue par le CICR

Mohamed Ag Ibrahim* retrouve sa famille et l'espoir d'un avenir prometteur

Kidal : le CICR s'efforce de subvenir aux besoins primaires de la population

« Malgré mon handicap, je reste une personne à part entière... » - L'histoire de Souleymane Des journalistes initiés aux gestes qui sauvent

Nigeria: Lake Chad Basin - Complex Emergency Fact Sheet #9, Fiscal Year (FY) 2017

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Source: US Agency for International Development
Country: Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, United States of America

HIGHLIGHTS

  • IDP caseload in Nigeria’s Borno State increases by 135,290 people between December 2016 and January 2017

  • Recent report highlights that populations in northeastern Nigeria continue to face severe protection risks

  • Humanitarian support likely preventing deterioration in food security in Niger’s Diffa Region; further assistance required

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

  • The latest International Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) recorded more than 1.76 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) across northeastern Nigeria’s Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states, an increase of approximately 8 percent since the December 2016 DTM. Borno accounted for the largest change, with IOM recording 135,290 additional IDPs. IOM notes that improved access to displaced populations rather than new displacement likely accounted for much of the increase.

  • In Borno, ongoing Boko Haram activity and Government of Nigeria (GoN) counterinsurgency operations have prompted additional population movements in recent weeks. Since late January, more than 11,000 people have fled conflict in local government areas (LGAs) of the state, according to IOM.

  • A recent protection-focused report by the Assessment Capacities Project details the extensive risks faced by people in conflict-affected areas of northeastern Nigeria; in addition to the ongoing threat of Boko Haram-related violence, familial separation, gender-based violence, and other threats to physical safety and mental wellbeing remain.

  • Populations in Niger’s Diffa Region continue to face food insecurity due to ongoing conflict in the region. Although humanitarian assistance has improved the situation, persistent conflict is likely to cause conditions to deteriorate in the absence of sustained support, according to the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET).

  • In Chad’s Lac Region, an increase in IDPs and refugees is straining host community resources and exacerbating food insecurity, FEWS NET reports. Conditions among affected populations are likely to worsen between February and May. USG partners continue response efforts aimed at improving food and nutrition conditions in Lac.

Nigeria: Active USG Programs for the Lake Chad Basin Response (Last Updated 02/17/17)

Somalia: Forty Fifth Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF 45) Bulletin

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Source: Intergovernmental Authority on Development
Country: Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

March to May usually constitutes the long rain and a very important cropping season for most countries in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) region. However, the regional consensus climate outlook for the March to May 2017 season indicates an increased likelihood of below normal to near normal rainfall over northern and eastern Tanzania; north, eastern and coastal Kenya; southern and north-western Somalia; north and western Djibouti; western and south-eastern Eritrea; north-eastern, eastern and southern Ethiopia; southern parts of South Sudan; north-eastern Uganda and southern parts of Sudan. On the other hand, the Central and western Tanzania, much of Burundi and Rwanda, western Uganda and south-western parts of South Sudan have increased probability for above to near normal rainfall. Likewise, the southern Tanzania, western, parts of South Rift and central Kenya; much of central Uganda, northern parts of South Sudan, extreme southern parts of Sudan, western Ethiopia, much of Eritrea and parts of central and north-eastern Somalia are likely to have probability of near normal to above normal rainfall.

The forecasted performance of the MAM 2017 rainfall is expected to have mixed implications for food security, livestock production and productivity, water, health in different parts of the region. The climate outlook is likely to lead to both drought and flood related disasters in different parts of the region. Some regions that are predicted to receive depressed rainfall during the MAM 2017 rainfall season also experienced poor rainfall performance during the OND 2016 rainfall season which has pushed areas like Somalia, parts of Kenya, Uganda and Southern Ethiopia into serious food insecurity. Poor performance of the MAM 2017 rainfall will only exacerbate the already deteriorating situation in these countries. On the other hand, there are risk of flooding in some parts of Tanzania; flooding and landslides in parts of Burundi and Rwanda, western Uganda and south-western parts of South Sudan due to the increased probability for above to near normal rainfall.

In order to address the likely impact and take advantage of the MAM 2017 seasonal forecast, the stakeholders are advised to implement the proposed mitigation and response measures across the different socio-economic sectors. In order reduce the impacts of the forecast in the region, there is need to strengthen disaster risk reduction strategies including response capacities, coordination, resource mobilization, communication and advocacy at the regional, national and sub-national levels. For people living in cities, landslide and flood prone zones, structural and non-structural mitigation measures are recommended to avoid damage and losses to lives and properties. For actors working in the Agriculture and food security sector, there is need to diversify livelihoods, plant early maturing and drought tolerant crops in areas with depressed rainfall, maximize the good rains to boost crop and forage production, and avoid planting crops in flood and landslide prone zones. Priorities for the livestock sector include massive livestock vaccination; promote livestock insurance, among others. In the water sector, there is need to close open river banks/dykes and strengthening weak ones; intensify rainwater harvesting; maintain strategic borehole for pastoralists; de-silt water pans and carry out construction of new ones; and carry out effective reservoir management as well as manage conflict in known hotspot zones.


Nigeria: Nigeria: Displacement Tracking Matrix | DTM | Round XIV - January 2017 Baseline Dashboard

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Source: International Organization for Migration
Country: Nigeria

Nigeria: Nigeria: Displacement Tracking Matrix | DTM | Round XIV - January 2017 Sites Assessment

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Source: International Organization for Migration
Country: Nigeria

Nigeria: Nigeria: Displacement Tracking Matrix | DTM | Round XIV - January 2017 Return Assessment

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Source: International Organization for Migration
Country: Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria

Nigeria: Nigeria Situation: Populations forcibly displaced by the insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin Region As of 15 February

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Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Country: Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria

Nigeria: WFP Nigeria Situation Report #7, February 2017

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Source: World Food Programme
Country: Nigeria

In Numbers

  • 1.9 m people displaced, of which 1.5 million in Borno and 0.11 million in Yobe States (IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix, January 2017)

  • 4.4 m people food insecure in Borno and Yobe States (Phases 3, 4 & 5 Cadre Harmonisé, October 2016)

Highlights

  • In February, WFP, both directly and through partnerships is targeting a total of 1.3 million beneficiaries in Borno and Yobe States. As of February 15, WFP had reached a total of 692,400 beneficiaries through cash-based transfers (CBT), in-kind food distributions and provision of nutritious food to children 6 to 59 months and pregnant and nursing women.

  • WFP is reviewing the expansion of its CBT coverage and, exploring alternative methodologies for cash assistance. On 08 February, the first distribution of e-vouchers and their redemption at retail shops took place in Maiduguri.

WFP response

  • WFP has stepped up to meet the immense challenges in northeast Nigeria, and successfully achieved the rapid scale up of food assistance to over one million conflict-affected people in Borno and Yobe States.

  • WFP assistance through cash-based transfers, in-kind food assistance, and specialized nutritious food distributions has been significantly scaling up - from 160,000 people reached in October to over 1 million in December and January.

  • Efforts will continue throughout 2017 and WFP plans to reach 1.3 million people amongst the most vulnerable in February, while a budget revision is underway to reach even a larger number of beneficiaries.

  • Due the multidimensional nature of the crisis, WFP has adopted an agile response, using the most appropriate and context-specific transfer modalities and delivery mechanisms to address the needs.

  • WFP uses either food- or cash-based transfers to support displaced people living in camps or with host communities, as well as vulnerable host populations.

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