Highlights
• Access to the north remains a challenge due to ongoing military operations, the presence of mines and explosive remnants of war which give way to a volatile security situation. Despite this precarious security environment, humanitarian actors continue their operations where possible.
• Food security experts have warned of severe food insecurity prevailing in the northern regions, which is likely to worsen in the coming months.
• The movements of people affected by the crisis in the north continue at various levels. While some return movements have been observed from the south to the north, there are reports of new displacements from the north to other parts of the country and to Niger.
• There are an estimated 282,548 internally displaced persons (IDPs). According to UNHCR, there are 175,211 Malian refugees in neighboring countries, and thousands of new refugees fled to Niger last week.
• The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated US$16 million to UN agencies and their partners in Mali to implement vital projects related to the crisis in the north.