Rice, millet, sorghum, and maize are the primary staple foods in Senegal.
Groundnuts are both an important source of protein and a commonly grown cash crop. Imported rice is consumed daily by the vast majority of households in Senegal particularly in Dakar and Touba urban centers. Local rice is produced and consumed in the Senegal River Valley. St. Louis is a major market for the Senegal River Valley. Millet is consumed in central regions where Kaolack is the most important regional market. Maize is produced and consumed in areas around Kaolack, Tambacounda, and the Senegal River Valley. Some maize is also imported mainly from the international market. High demand for all commodities exists in and around Touba and Dakar. They are also important centers for stocking and storage during the lean season. The harvests of grains and groundnuts begin at the end of the marketing year in October; and stocks of locally produced grains are drawn down throughout the marketing year. Senegal depends more on imports from the international market for rice than from cross border trade which mainly includes cattle from Mali and Mauritania that supply Dakar and surrounding markets.

Millet, maize, cowpea, and imported rice are the most important food commodities. Millet is consumed by both rural and poor urban households throughout the country. Maize and imported rice are most important for urban households, while cowpea is mainly consumed by poor households in rural and urban areas as a protein source. Niamey is the most important national market and an international trade center, and also supplies urban households.

Tillaberi is also an urban center that supplies the surrounding area.
Gaya market represents a main urban market for maize with crossborder connections. Maradi, Tounfafi, and Diffa are regional assembly and cross-border markets for Niger and other countries in the region. These are markets where households and herders coming from the northern cereal deficit areas regularly buy their food. Agadez and Zinder are also important national and regional markets. Nguigmi and Abalak are located in pastoral areas, where people are heavily dependent on cereal markets for their food supply. They are particularly important during the rainy season, when herders are confined to the pastoral zone.

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

Sorghum, millet, white maize, and local and imported rice are the most important food commodities. Millet is most heavily consumed in the eastern and northern regions of the country. Local rice is another basic food commodity, especially for poorer households.

Imported rice and white maize are most commonly consumed in and around the capital. The Marché d'Atrone in N’Djamena, the capital city, is the largest market for cereals. Moundou is an important consumer center for sorghum and the second largest market after the capital. The Abéché market is located in a northern production area. The Sarh market is both a local retail market and a cross-border market.

Reduced food availability in the north; food access compromised in pastoral areas

KEY MESSAGES

• Staple foods are available and continue to circulate in northern Mali, even though marketing systems have been greatly affected by the escalation of conflict since January 2013. With the exception of Kidal, traders continue to supply most of the north, though less frequently and at lower levels than usual.

• The typical, seasonal downward trend in cereal prices ended prematurely in mid-January in the north, following conflict-related disruptions to the marketing system (Figures 2 to 4). The magnitude and potential effects of these price increases are especially worrisome in urban areas where remaining local food stocks are low.

• In early February 2013, significant cereal stocks were available among traders in Mopti who typically supply northern markets. High levels of insecurity currently discourage large trade volumes towards northern Mali, although trader stocks in key source markets are sufficient to meet staple food needs in northern markets if commercial activity along the major marketing corridors resumes.

• Physical access constraints and/or the absence of traders or stocks on markets in northern Mali could lead to the rapid deterioration of food security among pastoralists, who are completely market-dependent to meet their staple food needs. Assuming the continuation of market disruptions and poor humanitarian access in pastoral zones, Crisis (IPC Phase 3) is expected by early April due to shortages on key markets, restricted movement, and the onset of the pastoral lean season.

Summary: CHF 174,092 was allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 12 January 2012 to support the Mali Red Cross (CRM) in delivering assistance to 8,200 beneficiaries In late 2011, assessments and early warning systems alerted that a food crisis would hit the country during 2012, primarily due to the poor harvest and drought situation. Reports indicated that up to 1.8 million persons in the regions of Kayes, Koulikoro, Gao, Kidal, Mopti and Segou would have difficulties to provide food for themselves. The government launched an international appeal for assistance to address the situation of food insecurity in the country. A deteriorating security situation due to clashes between the government and rebels in the northern part of the country contributed to worsen the situation and displaced thousands of people.

This DREF operation enabled the Malian Red Cross (CRM) to respond to the emergency needs of 1,640 vulnerable households due the food crisis situation in the country. 1,640 families (10,640 persons) in the Kayes region were provided with food relief and education in food hygiene practices to reduce their vulnerability and risks for diseases. At the end of the operation, 78 percent of vulnerable households in the Kayes region were provided with food relief.

This operation provided emergency food relief response and reduced vulnerability among the targeted families. With the continued needs identified in the target area, a Food Insecurity Emergency Appeal was prepared and launched by IFRC in June 2012 and is currently ongoing in the same areas covered by the DREF operation.

In the financial report, some expenses relating to the Regional Disaster Response Team (RDRT) deployment were erroneously booked in the wrong budget lines (utensils and tools, consultant, medical and first aid) which explains the variances in these budget lines. The RDRT mission was also extended to cover the operation timeframe, which was longer than planned and budgeted resulting in higher costs in the final financial report. A financial monitoring mission that was not budgeted for was undertaken at the end of the operation by the regional finance officer to assist the National Society in finalizing the financial reports, thus the variance in the budget and expenditure.Additionally,no storage expenses were incurred due to the fact that relief items were distributed immediately after purchase. A total of CHF 1,484 that was unspent at the close of the operation will be returned to DREF.

Lessons learned and recommendations from this operation include:

· IFRC needs to be present in Mali to monitor the evolution of the food crisis and assist in developing partnerships with other actors, such as the World Food Programme.

· The logistics and operations departments of the National Society need to be strengthened, including their emergency response systems and processes.

· The finance department and its procedures for emergency operations need to be strengthened.

The Netherlands Red Cross /Government and the Belgian Red Cross /Government contributed towards the DREF replenishment of the allocation made for this operation.The Belgian Red Cross/Government has contributed to the replenishment of the DREF allocated for this operation. The major donors and partners of DREF include the Australian, American and Belgian governments, the Austrian Red Cross, the Canadian Red Cross and government, Danish Red Cross and government, the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO), the Irish and the Italian governments, the Japanese Red Cross Society, the Luxembourg government, the Monaco Red Cross and government, the Netherlands Red Cross and government, the Norwegian Red Cross and government, the Spanish Government, the Swedish Red Cross and government, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), the Medtronic and Z Zurich Foundations, and other corporate and private donors. The IFRC, on behalf of Rwanda Red Cross Society, would like to extend thanks to all partners for their generous contributions.

Details of all donors can be found on http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/Active/MAA00010_2012.pdf

All operations-related appeals, reports, updates and information are available on the Appeals, plans and updates section of the web site: http://www.ifrc.org/en/publications-and-reports/appeals/

La semaine dernière, les principaux acteurs humanitaires se sont réunis au siège du PAM à Rome afin d’évaluer le bilan et les résultats de la réponse humanitaire au Sahel, un an après la crise. Immédiatement après la réunion lors de laquelle les participants ont réitéré leur engagement commun en faveur des efforts collectifs dans cette région du monde en proie à la sécheresse, Mme Ertharin Cousin, Directrice exécutive du PAM, a rédigé ce blog.

ROME – Il n’y a pas eu des bébés affamés au Sahel. De nouvelles images des enfants touchés par la malnutrition aigue sévère, entourés de petites mouches, au Mali ou au Niger n’ont pas fait la Une des journaux télévisés. En 2012, nous, en tant qu’une communauté internationale suivant l’alerte émise par les pays affectés, avons répondu ensemble et nous avons relevé les défis ensemble. Nous étions conscients que faute d’une action décisive de notre part, la situation pourrait encore s’aggraver en situation de famine ou pourrait entrainer une augmentation considérable dans le nombre de femmes et d’enfants malnutris.

Les médias internationaux ont été, eux aussi, très réactifs. Des équipes de journalistes, des bloggeurs, des personnalités radio ont contribué à sensibiliser le grand public à travers le monde aux enjeux et aux besoins croissants sur le terrain. Ensemble, les médias ont généré un appel collectif pour une action rapide de la part des bailleurs ce qui s’est traduit par des contributions importantes et a facilité notre capacité de répondre aux besoins immédiats des populations. Nous avons fourni une assistance, à la fois alimentaire et non-alimentaire, ce qui a permis de faire la différence dans la vie de ceux qui, l’an dernier pendant cette même période, ont dû faire face à une nouvelle mauvaise récolte.

En tant qu’acteurs humanitaires de l’ONU, nous sommes allés au-delà de fournir simplement à manger, à habiter et à boire. Nous avons mis en place des programmes qui commencent à porter leurs fruits et apportent aujourd’hui une lueur d’espoir. L’espoir qu’un jour une mère et un père peuvent cultiver suffisamment de nourriture pour nourrir leurs enfants et les envoyer à l’école tout en subvenant aux autres besoins de la famille. L’espoir qu’un jour une mauvaise récolte n’obligera pas une famille à vendre ses quelques biens pour nourrir les enfants.

Raconter des histoires

Afin que cette lueur d’espoir ne disparaisse, il faut que le monde n’oublie jamais les bébés au Sahel. Malgré les défis politiques actuels à relever dans la région, il faut que les médias continuent à raconter l’histoire de ces enfants pour que la communauté internationale continue à investir dans les programmes efficaces. De plus, il faut que nous, en tant que leaders de l’humanitaire et du développement, continuions à travailler ensemble.

La semaine dernière, des chefs des agences internationales comme Mme Valerie Amos, Secrétaire général adjointe aux affaires humanitaires, Mme Helen Clark, Administrateur du PNUD, Mme Nancy Lindborg, Administratrice adjointe d’USAID, Mme Kristalina Georgieva, Commissaire européenne chargée de l’aide humanitaire et de la protection civile, et M. Romano Prodi, Envoyé spécial des Nations Unies pour le Sahel ainsi que des représentants de chaque pays du Sahel se sont réunis pour tirer ensemble les leçons de notre réponse au Sahel et pour souligner leur engagement commun à continuer notre travail collectif. Il y avait très peu d’appareils photos dans la salle et très peu de médias en ont parlé. Il n’y a pas d’aspect ‘nouvelles’ lorsqu’on travaille ensemble pour élaborer la bonne réponse.

Mais il faut que ça se sache autour du monde. Nous devons travailler ensemble pour sensibiliser les personnes à ce qui a été accompli mais aussi, à ce que nous allons faire. Une fois que les personnes comprennent les enjeux et les opportunités, le bien-être des bébés dans des endroits reculés comme le Sahel, tout comme le bien-être de leurs propres enfants, leur tiennent à cœur. Certes il n’y a pas de photos des mères tenant dans leur bras un petit avec le ventre gonflé et entouré de petites mouches. En travaillant ensemble, nous pouvons éviter qu’une mère ait à vivre cette douleur dans l’avenir.

Summary: 26 February 2013, Dublin - Up to €250 million in EU funding is available in support for Mali, to restore democracy, peace and human rights, and to ensure that vulnerable communities can access food, clean water and sanitation.

Irish Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello T.D., today meets EU Development Ministers in Brussels to discuss detailed plans to provide development aid to Mali over the coming months.

Speaking ahead of the meeting today, Minister Costello said support to innocent civilians caught up in the crisis must be central to the EU's plan to support Mali in the years ahead.

"The impact of the crisis on innocent civilians in Mali and across the wider region must be our primary concern. Thousands of families have been displaced by the conflict, so we must support them to return to their homes and ensure that they see real gains as a result of our development efforts, including access to health and education services."

At today's meeting EU Ministers will hold detailed discussions on the plan to resume long-term aid to Mali, which was announced following their meeting in Dublin on February 12 chaired by Minister Costello under Ireland's Presidency of the EU Council.

Today, ministers will be briefed by the Malian authorities as well as the EU Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs and the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva. Ministers will consider in detail a recent EU Needs Assessment Mission, setting out the most pressing needs of Mali's people and examining how the EU can best support the country's transition to peace and development over the coming years.

Minister Costello said:

"In the years ahead, the EU is committed to playing a constructive role in supporting the Malian people as they work to rebuild their country. In post-conflict situations such as this, it is very important that the EU takes a comprehensive approach which brings together our humanitarian, development and peace-building efforts.

"Today we will discuss the EU's plans to prevent further conflict, facilitate reconciliation and prepare for the elections which are due to be held by the end of July under the transition roadmap adopted by the Malian authorities. We will also consider plans to rebuild basic services such as water, sanitation and nutrition programmes, as well as proposals to help relaunch the economy.

"The French Government has made clear that it will not maintain its current military presence in Mali. The operation in Mali is moving now into a new phase where the lead role in terms of the military support for Mali will be taken by the African regional force, AFISMA. As stability is consolidated, the focus can shift more to the political and development tracks and, in time, a more traditional peacekeeping operation under the umbrella of the United Nations appears the appropriate mechanism to assist in maintaining security."

"With the help of the EU and the international community, great progress has already been made in stabilizing the security situation, bringing a dramatic improvement to the lives of the Malian people. The EU has also provided €116 million in emergency aid since the crisis began last year to meet the most urgent needs for food, shelter and security."

(New York, 26 February 2013): OCHA’s Director of Operations, John Ging, called today on the international community to help Malians rebuild their lives after a period of brutal violence and economic collapse. Mr. Ging was speaking in New York after a four-day mission to Mali, during which he visited the historic city of Timbuktu and the central town of Mopti.

“The people of Mali have suffered appallingly,” said Mr. Ging. “Now is the time for us to help.” He said community representatives emphasized to him that they did not want to become dependent on international aid but were seeking basic support.

“These are dignified people who are not asking for much,” said Mr. Ging. “In the north, they want to get back on their feet after a year of brutality and devastation. They want protection, they want to send their children back to school, to have a functioning health service, to reopen markets and to sow their crops in time for a successful harvest.”

Since the conflict began in January 2012, more than 430,000 people have been displaced, including more than 170,000 who have fled as refugees to neighbouring countries. This has left health clinics short of doctors, schools without teachers and power plants without engineers. Food insecurity in the north has increased due to the disruption of trade routes and a steep rise in food prices. Unexploded ordnance and mines are a daily risk and Mr. Ging said he heard terrible stories of violence against women and children.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Diango Cissoko at the end of his visit, Mr. Ging said that the people he met told him their number one priority was the protection of civilians and respect for human rights. He noted that people in the north are traumatized and living in fear, and said the Government must be proactive in rebuilding trust and confidence amongst communities.

“This is a crucial moment for Mali,” said Mr. Ging. “To truly build a foundation for the future, protecting civilians and upholding human rights must be the top priority. This starts with respect for international human rights and humanitarian law by the Mali security forces.”

Mr. Ging called on donors to increase their support for humanitarian aid urgently, noting that the 2013 humanitarian appeal in Mali calls for US$373 million, including $153 million for the most urgent interventions in the next six months, but has so far only received $17 million.

Contexte et objectifs de l'évaluation rapide

Le 10 janvier 2013, le village de Konna a été la cible d’attaques et est rapidement passée sous contrôle de differénts groupes armés en provenance du Nord Mali. Suite aux combats menés par les forces armées françaises et maliennes.(précédés de bombardements aériens), la zone de Konna est revenue sous contrôle gouvernemental le 13 janvier 2013. Suite aux dernières évolutions sur le terrain (marquées surtout par le retrait des différents groupes armés de la localité), ACTED, avec le soutien d’UNICEF1, a envoyé une équipe dans cette zone afin de mener une évaluation rapide des infrastructures de la ville et des principaux services de base (points eau, hygiène et assainissement (EHA), écoles, centres de santé et marchés) du 4 au 6 février 2013. Au de cette évaluation, les autorités municipales ont également attiré notre attention sur la situation des personnes déplacées suite aux combats. En effet, selon les chifres communiqués par la mairie, ils étaient 15,000 a trouvé un abri temporaire dans 41 villages et hameaux périphériques à la commune rurale de Konna. .

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

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

02/27/2013 01:41 GMT

Gao, Mali, Feb 27, 2013 (AFP) - A suicide bomber killed at least six people after ramming his explosives-laden vehicle into a checkpoint in the northern Malian city of Kidal on Tuesday, military and hospital sources said.

The attacker struck a checkpost manned by Tuareg separatists supporting the French-led military offensive against Islamist insurgents.

"The suicide attack targeted the checkpoint on the eastern side of Kidal which is manned by the MNLA (National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad)," a French military official told AFP in Gao, the main city in the north.

A hospital source told AFP there were seven dead including the bomber, with another 11 wounded.

Several other officials confirmed the blast was an attack following an initial report that it may have been a controlled explosion of ammunition seized from the Islamist insurgency.

The Islamic Movement for Azawad (MIA), another armed group, said its fighters were also on duty at the targeted checkpoint.

"Suicide attackers did this," Alghabass Ag Intalla, whose group is a moderate splinter of the Al-Qaeda-allied Ansar Dine group, told AFP.

"They are against us and against the French," he added.

A local government official speaking on condition of anonymity said the attack occurred on the road leading to Menaka.

"Everybody is afraid here in Kidal. The car bomb came from the centre of Kidal. That's scary, we don't know how many other car bombs are waiting in there," he said.

Kidal is around 1,530 kilometres (950 miles) northeast of the Malian capital Bamako and the nearby Ifogha mountains have become a haven for Al Qaeda-linked fighters forced out of cities after France's intervention in January.

Overwhelmed by the superior fire-power of the French air force and special forces, Islamist hardliners pulled out of the towns they had ruthlessly ruled for nine months, imposing an extreme form of sharia law.

They regrouped and reverted to guerrilla tactics, launching hit-and-run attacks against French or pro-government forces and resorting to suicide attacks.

sd-alc/jj/adm

© 1994-2013 Agence France-Presse

02/27/2013 00:33 GMT

GAO (Mali), 26 fév 2013 (AFP) - Un "attentat-suicide"à la voiture piégée a secoué mardi soir à Kidal, ville de l'extrême nord-est du Mali où sont présentes des troupes françaises, selon plusieurs sources concordantes dont une source hospitalière qui a affirmé avoir compté sept morts, dont le kamikaze.

"Un véhicule piégé a explosé à 19H30 (locales et GMT). L'attentat-suicide a été perpétré contre le check-point de la partie est de Kidal, tenu par le MNLA", le Mouvement national de libération de l'Azawad (rébellion touareg), a déclaré une source militaire jointe depuis Gao (environ 350 km au sud de Kidal).

"C'était un kamikaze en pick-up. L'attaque ne visait pas directement les Français, parce que l'attaque était dirigée vers l'extérieur (de la ville) et non vers l'aéroport tenu par les Français", a indiqué la même source, sans fournir de bilan.

Les forces françaises avaient repris fin janvier le contrôle de l'aéroport de Kidal, ancien bastion islamiste, et quelque 1.800 soldats tchadiens sont arrivés depuis pour sécuriser la ville où étaient déjà présents des islamistes armés et le MNLA, qui affirment collaborer avec les Français dans la traque des jihadistes en cours depuis janvier au Mali.

Après l'attentat, "nous avons compté sept morts et onze blessés. Le kamikaze est mort" ainsi que "six combattants", a déclaré à l'AFP une source hospitalière jointe sur place.

Dans un communiqué, le MNLA a fait état d'un "bilan provisoire" de "7 morts" parmi (ses) combattants ainsi que plusieurs blessés".

"Un kamikaze à bord d'un véhicule de type 4x4 s'est fait exploser au niveau du poste de contrôle du MNLA situé à la sortie de Kidal menant vers Ménaka" (sud-est de Kidal), il "s'est fait exploser au moment où les combattants du MNLA s'apprêtaient à contrôler le véhicule", affirme-t-il.

L'attentat a aussi été annoncé à l'AFP par le chef du Mouvement islamique de l'Azawad (MIA), le groupe armé se disant islamiste "modéré" et présent dans la ville avec le MNLA, ainsi que par un responsable du gouvernorat, tous deux joints au téléphone depuis Bamako.

Mais le chef du MIA, Alghabass Ag Intalla, a soutenu que l'explosion s'est produite "à une barrière militaire" de son mouvement, "à la sortie" de la ville.

Selon le responsable du gouvernorat de Kidal, "l'explosion de la voiture piégée s'est déroulée au sud de Kidal, vers la route qui conduit à Ménaka". "Il y a eu au moins quatre morts. (...) La voiture piégée est venue de l'intérieur de la ville de Kidal", a-t-il ajouté.

Dans un premier temps, une source militaire française jointe depuis Gao avait parlé à l'AFP d'une explosion due à une destruction de munitions.

La ville de Kidal, à 1.500 km au nord-est de Bamako, est la capitale de la région du même nom abritant le massif des Ifoghas où sont retranchés des combattants islamistes puissamment armés liés à Al-Qaïda, que les soldats français et tchadiens traquent depuis plusieurs semaines dans des opérations aériennes et terrestres.

La semaine dernière, des combats entre soldats tchadiens et jihadistes ont fait 116 morts, selon l'état-major tchadien: 23 parmi les militaires tchadiens, et 93 dans le camp des islamistes armés. Il s'agit des pertes connues les plus lourdes subies par les forces soutenant le Mali.

Le 21 février, le camp militaire français à Kidal a été visé par une attaque d'un kamikaze à bord d'un véhicule qui a explosé près du site. Le conducteur a été tué sur le coup, selon des sources concordantes.

Le lendemain, un attentat à l'aide de deux voitures piégées s'est produite à Tessalit (environ 170 km au nord de Kidal), proche de la frontière algérienne, contre des hommes du MNLA. Selon des sources concordantes, il y a eu au moins cinq morts, dont les deux kamikazes.

Ces attaques de Kidal et Tessalit ont été revendiquées par le Mouvement pour l'unicité et le jihad en Afrique de l'Ouest (Mujao), un des groupes armés dont les hommes sont traqués et qui a annoncé d'autres attentats-suicide au Mali, sans plus de détails.

Mardi matin, le ministre français de la Défense, Jean-Yves Le Drian avait affirmé que les combats, "violents", se poursuivaient dans le massif des Ifoghas, avec beaucoup de pertes dans les rangs des islamistes armés. Il y a des morts "tous les jours" mais les forces françaises font "très peu de prisonniers", avait-il dit.

bur-cs/dm

© 1994-2013 Agence France-Presse

FEBRUARY 25, 2013 BY ANASTASIA DELLACCIO

See the video

We can't share this message...without you!

This week we teamed up with international superstars David Guetta and Usher to launch a new video to raise awareness and funds for more than 10 million people affected by the Sahel food crisis.

The film uses David Guetta and Usher’s hit song “Without You” as a soundtrack to tell the story of one family living on the outskirts of Niger’s capital, Niamey. The story is told through the eyes of two young Australian siblings, Georgina and William Lewis and follows 18-year-old Ali Koba and his father Abdoulaye, who are grappling with the effects of drought and struggling to feed their family because their farm has not yielded any crops.

The video was produced in partnership with experts from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Niger. We urge you to help by making a donation to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in which funds will be directed towards the Sahel Crisis and humanitarian projects to provide families with emergency aid.

We believe everyone has a role to play in helping the United Nations help bring about a better world. Through the power and the universal language of music, we hope that by telling the story of just one family affected it will inspire people around the world to take action and make a difference to many of the millions of families who are affected by this devastating situation in the Sahel.

Tweet this!

Join @davidguetta @UsherRaymondIV & @unfoundation in the fight against #SahelCrisis - we can’t do it #withoutyou http://bit.ly/YHjV2T

Over 10M ppl are facing hunger. Watch this video & see how YOU can make a change with @unfoundation http://bit.ly/YHjV2T #SahelCrisis

(New York, 26 février 2013): Le Directeur des opérations d'OCHA, John Ging, a appelé aujourd'hui la communauté internationale à aider les Maliens à reconstruire leur vie après une période de violence cruelle et d'effondrement économique. M. Ging s'exprimait de New York après une mission de quatre jours au Mali, au cours de laquelle il s'est rendu dans la ville historique de Tombouctou et à Mopti dans le centre du pays.

« Le peuple du Mali a terriblement souffert, a déclaré M. Ging ; « il est maintenant temps pour nous d’apporter notre aide. » Il a déclaré que les représentants communautaires avaient insisté sur le fait qu’ils ne voulaient pas devenir dépendants de l’aide internationale mais cherchaient un soutien de base.

« Ce sont des gens dignes qui ne demandent pas beaucoup », a déclaré M. Ging. « Dans le nord, ils veulent se remettre sur pieds après une année de brutalité et de dévastation. Ils veulent bénéficier de protection, envoyer à nouveau leurs enfants à l'école, avoir accès à des services de santé qui fonctionnent, rouvrir les marchés et semer à temps pour obtenir une bonne récolte. »

Depuis le début du conflit en janvier 2012, plus de 430 000 personnes ont été déplacées, dont plus de 170 000 qui se sont réfugiées dans les pays voisins. Cela a privé les cliniques de médecins, les écoles d’enseignants et les centrales électriques d’ingénieurs. L'insécurité alimentaire dans le nord du pays a augmenté du fait des perturbations qu’ont connu les axes routiers commerciaux et d’une forte hausse des prix des denrées alimentaires. Les munitions non explosées et les mines font poser un risque tous les jours aux populations. Lors de sa visite de l’hôpital de Timbuktu, M. Ging a dit avoir entendu des témoignages terribles de violence faite aux femmes et aux enfants

A l’issue de sa réunion avec le Premier ministre Diango Cissoko, M. Ging a indiqué que pour les personnes qu’il avait rencontrées, la protection des civils et le respect des droits de l'homme constituaient des priorités. Il a noté que les populations du nord étaient traumatisées et vivaient dans la peur, et que le gouvernement devait se montrer proactif pour rétablir la confiance entre les communautés.

«C'est un moment crucial pour le Mali», a déclaré M. Ging. «Pour vraiment poser les fondations du futur, la protection des civils et le respect des droits de l'homme doivent être la priorité absolue. Cela commence par le respect des droits de l’Homme et du droit humanitaire international par les forces de sécurité du Mali ».

M. Ging a appelé les donateurs à accroître d’urgence leur soutien à l'aide humanitaire. Il a observé que l'appel humanitaire 2013 pour le Mali, qui demande 373 millions de dollars, dont 153 millions pour les interventions les plus urgentes dans les six prochains mois, n'a jusqu'à présent reçu que 17 millions de dollars.

2012 Article IV Consultation, Request for Disbursement Under the Rapid Credit Facility and Cancellation of the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement—Staff Report; Staff Supplements; Public Information Notice and Press Release on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Mali

Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. In the context of the 2012 Article IV consultation with Mali and request for disbursement under the Rapid Credit Faciliity and cancellation of the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement, the following documents have been released and are included in this package:

• Staff Report for the 2012 Article IV Consultation, request for disbursement under the Rapid Credit Facility and cancellation of the Extended Credit Facility arrangement prepared by a staff team of the IMF, following discussions that ended on November 14, 2012 with the officials of Mali on economic developments and policies. Based on information available at the time of these discussions, the staff report was completed on January 18, 2013. The views expressed in the staff report are those of the staff team and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Board of the IMF.

• Debt Sustainability Analysis prepared by the staffs of the IMF and the World Bank.

• Informational Annex prepared by the IMF.

• Public Information Notice (PIN) summarizing the views of the Executive Board as expressed during its January 28, 2013 discussion of the staff report that concluded the Article IV consultation.

• Press Release on the approval of the disbursement under the Rapid Credit Facility.

• Statement by the Executive Director for Mali.

Consultations de 2012 au titre de l'article IV, Demande de décaissement au titre de la facilité de crédit rapide et annulation de l’accord au titre de la facilité élargie de crédit — Rapport des services du FMI; Supplément des services du FMI; Note d'information au public sur les délibérations du Conseil d'administration; et Déclaration de l'Administrateur pour le Mali

Conformément aux dispositions de l'article IV de ses statuts, le FMI procède, habituellement chaque année, à des consultations bilatérales avec ses membres. Dans le contexte des consultations de 2012 avec le Mali au titre de l'article IV, les documents ci-après ont été diffusés et figurent dans ce dossier :

 Le Rapport des services du FMI sur les consultations de 2012 au titre de l'article IV, demande de décaissement au titre de la facilité de crédit rapide et annulation de l’accord au titre de la facilité élargie de crédit, établi par une équipe des services du FMI à l'issue des entretiens qui ont pris fin le 14 novembre 2012 avec les autorités maliennes sur l'évolution et les politiques économiques. Sur la base des informations disponibles au moment de ces entretiens, la rédaction du rapport des services du FMI a été achevée le 18 janvier 2013. Les vues exprimées dans le rapport sont celles de l’équipe des services du FMI et ne correspondent pas nécessairement à celles du Conseil d’administration du FMI.

 Une Analyse de viabilité de la dette préparée par les services du FMI et de la Banque mondiale.

 Une Annexe d'information préparée par le FMI.

 Une Note d'information au public (NIP) résumant les points de vue du Conseil d'administration tels qu'exprimés lors de l'examen du rapport des services du FMI le 28 janvier 2013, qui concluait les consultations au titre de l'article IV.

 Un Communiqué de presse sur l’approbation du décaissement au titre de la facilité de crédit rapide.

 Une Déclaration de l’Administrateur du FMI pour le Mali.

La politique qui régit la publication des rapports des services et autres documents du FMI autorise la suppression des informations délicates.

Jennifer Schmidt
Senior Development Officer

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. —Helen Keller

Given the magnitude and complexity of the poverty challenges that our global community faces, Helen Keller’s words couldn’t ring more true.

Around the world, in order to drive impact for the people we serve, we ground our work in this spirit of partnership — the principle that sustainable change is best achieved when community groups, governments and the private sector work together. They’re like the three legs of a stool; without one, the stool falls over.

That’s why we’re proud to partner with companies who share our commitment to helping families around the world. In many cases, this takes the form of strategic and significant philanthropic contributions. But we also utilize the expertise of corporate volunteer engineers, product developers, marketers and executives to design and implement programs that help improve people’s lives.

So today, on International Corporate Philanthropy Day, we’re taking a moment to recognize and celebrate some of the companies who are demonstrating leadership by making a significant commitment to saving and improving lives around the world:

One of our longest standing partnerships began in the famed tea estates of Darjeeling, India, which are so private, even the government can’t enter them to evaluate conditions for families who live on the land. But 10 years ago, thanks to Starbucks’ Tazo Tea, their gates were opened to Mercy Corps, who began providing education, health and sanitation programs as part of the Community Health and Advancement Initiative (CHAI). Today, this ambitious partnership has improved the lives of more than 80,000 people.

READ MORE: Brewing change for ten years

DC Entertainment is in its second year of the We Can Be Heroes campaign, an unprecedented giving campaign featuring their iconic Justice League super heroes to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa. Mercy Corps is proud to be a partner in this campaign, whose funds enable our mobile health teams to provide assistance to some of the hardest hit families in Ethiopia.

While nearly two years have passed since the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, technology company NVIDIA continues to stand by survivors to help them recover and rebuild. Through an employee-led fundraising effort called “Operation Kizuna,” NVIDIA has not only contributed funds to meet immediate needs, but also to support a small business recovery program that has helped more than 200 businesses including bakeries, day-care providers, grocery stores and a kimono-repair shop reopen their doors, creating hundreds of jobs.

WATCH VIDEO: Small business owners revitalize their communities

Boeing is also contributing to this critical program for small businesses, by funding reemployment grants so that small businesses can rehire staff and startup grants to help entrepreneurs open businesses, kickstarting the economy and creating jobs. With Boeing’s support, the program is specially focusing on support for businesses owned by people with disabilities and also for businesses that cater to their unique needs.

Our partner Xylem, a leading global water technology provider, has supported our disaster response and disaster risk reduction efforts through Xylem Watermark, the company’s corporate citizenship and social investment program. Last year, Xylem’s support helped more than 1 million people access clean water and sanitation, or prepare for future disasters. We’re so proud that Xylem was recognized with the prestigious 2012 Excellence Award in Corporate Philanthropy from the Committee for Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) for its leadership in giving back to communities around the world.

With the support of longtime partner Chevron, Mercy Corps is helping young people in two countries prepare for and access employment opportunities. In Liberia, it is common for youth to graduate from high school without proficient literacy skills and 56 percent of females have never attended school. Our new program there will provide hundreds of youth with on-the-job training opportunities with local businesses to build the job skills they need for real world employment opportunities.

Meanwhile, youth in Sichuan province in China suffer substantially from the current socio-economic conditions, which often result in poverty and isolation. With Chevron’s support, Mercy Corps will work with youth and the unemployed to prepare them to enter the job market and promote the expansion of income generating opportunities within the community, helping youth end the cycle of poverty.

We recently launched a new partnership with MasterCard Worldwide in Myanmar to empower 1,000 farmers and entrepreneurs through business and financial literacy training. Currently undergoing rapid political and cultural shifts, Myanmar has seen sharp political changes. As a result, its historically poor populous is gaining access to markets and entrepreneurial endeavors. Mercy Corps’ business and financial literacy program aims to educate these communities on how to succeed in business and manage personal and business assets.

Our longstanding partner Intel Foundation is supporting a recovery program in Haiti designed to empower 200 young women to increase entrepreneurial capacity and revenue generation to further the country’s recovery following the devastating 2010 earthquake. Through Intel Foundation’s generous support, this program will increase the success rates for female-driven small businesses, fuel economic growth and help move women and their families out of poverty.

The leadership of all of our corporate partners — in addition to the thousands of individual supporters who are the heart and soul of our work — is transforming the lives of people in need around the globe. On International Corporate Philanthropy Day, we say thank you to you and your organizations for joining us in making a real and lasting impact around the globe.

If you are a representative of a company and would like to learn more about partnering with Mercy Corps, email Jenny Keating.

Lisa Schlein

February 26, 2013

GENEVA — The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is appealing for $45 million to meet the emergency needs of women and children affected by the Malian crisis for the next three months. UNICEF says it has received little money so far to help a quarter-million people displaced inside Mali, as well as an estimated 170,000 refugees who have fled to neighboring Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.

The humanitarian crisis in Mali is huge. Yet, despite the magnitude of the needs, the U.N. Children’s Fund reports it has received less than $1 million to help the hundreds of thousands of displaced people and refugees.

UNICEF warns it will not be able to continue life-saving interventions unless international donors respond quickly to its appeal.

The agency says months of conflict and continuing political instability in Mali are severely aggravating a situation that was already fragile because of a regional food crisis. It says the impact on children is particularly acute.

UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado says an estimated 660,000 children in Mali will suffer from acute malnutrition this year, including 210,000 who will require life-saving treatment.

She says the risk of waterborne diseases, such as cholera and malaria is very high. She says it is urgent to implement preventive measures to head off disease outbreaks.

“We have been providing Aquatabs so that people can treat water in their households because water systems have essentially... are not operating the way that they should be. This risk remains a very potent risk especially because of the large numbers of displaced people moving about… With large numbers of displaced people, you have more and more people taking water from unprotected water sources. And, this, of course, places children particularly at high risk.”

Given the unstable conditions in the region, Mercado says part of the appeal money will go toward improving security for humanitarian staff and protection for children. She says children in northern Mali are particularly vulnerable to a host of risks.

“Many of the schools in the north have been closed, putting children at much greater risk of recruitment," she said. "There have been many, many cases of allegations of sexual violence against children. Recruitment is a risk also in the refugee camps that are hosting displaced populations and all…. of our programs in these camps have their eye very much on that risk. Children are always more vulnerable in these refugee camps. They are much more vulnerable to sexual abuse, much more vulnerable to violence. They are much more vulnerable to all sorts of risk.”

Mali was plunged into crisis last year when soldiers overthrew the president, allowing Islamist militants to seize control of the north. A French-led offensive last month drove the militants into remote desert hideouts but Mali's political situation remains shaky and uncertain.

UNICEF says a tremendous amount of work is necessary to meet the basic needs of the Malian people, both in the north and the south. It says its immediate focus will be on battling the food and nutrition crisis, which has affected the country since 2011.

It notes the situation in the north is particularly critical as people there have had only restricted access to markets, services and humanitarian aid for many months.

Helping people to survive drought requires a long-term commitment from governments, donors, institutions and NGOs

After three droughts in seven years in the Sahel, governments, humanitarian organisations and donors have been asking how to help the region get out of this cycle of crises. The nearly universal solution proposed is summed up in the word "resilience": the ability of families, households or communities to absorb shocks, such as drought in the case of the Sahel.

Read the blog post by David Gressly, Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel, in the Guardian's Poverty Matters Blog.