CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE KILLS ONE CIVILIAN IN THE EAST
On 23 January, an explosive device was discovered behind the Beloko customs offices in the west and destroyed by the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) without causing any casualty. Before that, on 21 January, a non-state armed group had attacked Beloko Customs Office, reportedly killing a civilian. Consequently, all UN movements in the nearby Baboua-Beloko axis had been suspended. Since the beginning of the year, attacks on FACA positions have become recurrent in the western Nana Mambere Prefecture temporarily causing people’s movement.
CHAD
OVER 1.5 MILLION MIGHT BE ACUTELY FOOD INSECURE IN THE 2023 LEAN SEASON
According to the November 2022 figures of the Cadre Harmonisé – a tool for analysis of acute food and nutrition insecurity in the Sahel and west Africa – over 800,000 people are in phases 3 and above of acute food insecurity in Chad. The analysis projects that over 1.5 million people will be in phases 3 and above in the June-September 2023 lean season, an increase of over 700,000 people from the year before. Also, the level of Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) [for children] in the country decreased from 10.9 per cent in 2021 to 8.6 per cent in 2022. Nevertheless, important disparities exist between provinces, with 2.6 per cent GAM prevalence in the southern Logone Oriental province and 17.7 per cent in northern Wadi Fira province. Also, the provinces of Wadi Fira, Borkou, in the centre, and Ennedi, in the east, recorded a prevalence above the emergency threshold of 15 per cent.
NIGERIA/CAMEROON
CAMEROON, NIGERIA AND AID ORGANIZATIONS COLLABORATE TO REPATRIATE REFUGEES
On 20 and 24 January, the Governments of Cameroon and Nigeria, together with humanitarian organisations facilitated the voluntary repatriation of 1,310 Nigerian refugees from Maroua, in the far north region of Cameroon, to Borno State in the northeast of Nigeria. The returnees have received food, non-food and livelihood assistance from the Cameroonian government and humanitarian organizations. The last return operation to Nigeria took place in November 2021.
MALI
HUMANITARIAN AID FOR INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN GAO CITY
The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has released $750,000 (€697,474) to anticipate on cholera outbreaks in the country. This funding will enable UNICEF, WHO and their partners to provide life-saving assistance to more than 150,000 people as part of a comprehensive strategy to prevent larger outbreaks. In 2022, DRC reported 18,507 cholera cases and 296 deaths nationwide. Interventions under this funding will focus on the most affected areas of North and South Kivu. The CERF funding is part of a two-year pilot initiative.
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs