The deteriorating security situation and the resumption of hostilities between parties to the conflict beginning of 2015 further hampered humanitarian access in northern Mali. Out of the 23 incidents recorded during the reporting period, 11 occurred during the month of January only. The majority of incidents relate to violence against personnel, assets and facilities - mainly carjacking due to increased criminality and banditry on road axis.
The region of Timbuktu is the most affected one. However, it is in the Gao region that the current security situation has a greater impact on beneficiaries with at least 120,000 persons affected while access to Kidal remains extremely challenging for INGOs. In addition, the Kidal airport is closed since mid-January. Military operations and active hostilities also constrained humanitarian access and had an impact on humanitarian assistance and aid delivery.
In January, for the first time since 2012, clashes occurred in both Ségou and Mopti regions, which forced some INGOs to temporarily relocate their staff and suspend their humanitarian activities. The overall situation has an impact on the health sector, but also on protection, social cohesion, water, sanitation and hygiene, education and food security activities.
ACTIONS TAKEN
OCHA’s access team:
Engages with all parties to the conflict to overcome constraints and facilitate access and also advocates at the strategic level.
Engages with relevant partners and advocates for the increase of humanitarian flights and the security and rehabilitation of secondary airfields.
Humanitarian Country Team:
Endorsed the policy on engagement of humanitarian actors with armed groups.
Produced and endorsed a map of priority axis to be secured for the safety of humanitarian actors and unimpeded and free access, which has been shared with relevant security forces.
Inter Agency Coordination Groups:
- Humanitarian actors meet with local authorities and relevant security forces to advocate the identification of concrete measures to facilitate and improve humanitarian access.
