REACH’s monitoring report highlights severe insecurity and humanitarian crises in Mali’s border areas affecting localities in Tombouctou and Ségou. Flooding and price hikes have compounded challenges, with significant population displacements reported. The situation calls for urgent humanitarian intervention.
The recent humanitarian situation monitoring by REACH in the Central Sahel indicates a severe impact of the deteriorating security landscape in Mali, heavily affecting its border areas. Between July and October 2024, it was reported that 97 percent of surveyed localities in Tombouctou and 73 percent in Ségou experienced significant insecurities, including violence and looting. Alarmingly, all localities surveyed in the Goundam and Gourma-Rharous districts of Tombouctou were affected, with 97 percent of localities in the Niafunké circle, which borders Mauritania, also impacted by similar issues.
Furthermore, the monitoring highlighted additional severe shocks including flooding, which influenced 72 percent of localities in Tombouctou and 62 percent in Ségou. Price surges in basic markets were reported to have compounded the situation further, impacting 58 percent of localities in Tombouctou and 43 percent in Ségou. These factors create a precarious living environment for the residents in these regions.
In light of the security challenges, significant population displacement has occurred. By October 2024, key informants noted that 34 percent of assessed localities in Tombouctou and 23 percent in Ségou had reported that residents were forced to flee or leave. Most displacements stayed within the local region and typically did not exceed 25 percent of the population. Nonetheless, in 24 percent of localities reporting movement in Ségou, over half of the inhabitants had fled their homes, indicating deeply troubling circumstances for the populace.
The report underscores a critical humanitarian crisis in Mali’s border areas, marked by rampant insecurity and environmental challenges. The substantial number of affected localities reflects a dire need for intervention, particularly as displacement trends suggest worsening conditions. It is essential for humanitarian efforts to address these upheavals and provide support to those in need.
Original Source: www.unocha.org
