The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations in Mali (OCHA) issued this Monday, July 1, an alarming statement on the increase of basic needs in the center of the country.
“Conflict-related violence has reached a level of severity never equalled” resulting in more than 600 deaths since the beginning of the year, said the UN agency. Regional instability has caused massive population exodus, emptying entire villages. The number of IDPs in Mopti and Ségou has quadrupled in one year, reaching 70,000 in May 2019.
This situation exposes the civilian population to deficiencies in food, health, or access to education. In Mopti, “179,000 children are deprived of their fundamental right to education” reports OCHA while 926 schools have been closed in the country. The region alone accounts for a quarter – or more than 924,000 people – of the 3.8 million who will be food insecure between June and August.
Last January, a $ 296 million Humanitarian Response Plan was launched for 12 months to protect the most vulnerable populations and respond to emergencies. A quarter of the budget ($ 73 million) was mobilized to help these populations in the center of the country.
Sahelien.com