| Overview : The security and humanitarian situation in the Central Sahel has deteriorated significantly over the last few years. In Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, several complex and fast-growing crises are developing with unprecedented levels of armed violence, insecurity and displacement. Thousands of civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee their homes. In addition, insecurity and forced displacement are destroying the social fabric of communities and disrupting basic social services and governance. Food insecurity and human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence, are on a sharp rise. All this is unfolding in a region at the bottom of global development indices. Across the Sahel, already-severe vulnerabilities are deepening due to the convergence of poverty, social exclusion, rapid population growth, food insecurity, internal displacement, weak governance, violent extremism and conflict. In addition, climate change is severely impacting communities and exacerbating conflict dynamics. COVID-19 poses an additional emerging threat to the region that may exacerbate ongoing crises even further and stretch already weak systems and structures. Humanitarian needs are substantial and growing fast. The challenge is not just about mobilising sufficient resources for humanitarian assistance, however. It is equally important to better align humanitarian, development and peace actors behind collective outcomes to the extent possible and relevant, and to strengthen the capacity of and partnerships with national governments and local authorities to protect development gains and in support of sustainable recovery. To discuss these perspectives, and to gather political momentum and mobilize support from donors, a virtual Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), leading up to a Ministerial Roundtable, on the humanitarian situation in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger will be organised. The conferences will be co-hosted by Denmark, Germany, the European Union (ECHO), and the United Nations (led by OCHA with UNDP). |
