Mali: Food insecurity remains major concern in the northern regions



Situation in Brief:

· The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) estimated that
4,3 million people have been affected by the food, nutrition and security crises of 2012 and 2013.

· There are an estimated 282.548 IDPS 1. According to UNHCR, there are 173.779 Malian refugees in
neighboring countries, and thousands of new refugees fled to Niger in the beginning of April (OCHA,
April 25 th, 2013).

· Cholera outbreaks often occur during the rainy season, and could be worse this year without
sufficient investment in prevention.

· Internal population movements continue from north to south and vice versa. Displacements from
north to south represent 62% of the total of 37.900 people censed in both direction between 12
January and 31 March.

· The security situation in the north is marked by fighting in some areas, the presence of mines and
various acts of violence. Humanitarian actors are active in the three northern regions (Timbuktu,
Gao and Kidal). Activities also continue in the rest of the country without security challenges.

· French troops reinforcing the Mali military, security in the south is currently stable. The heaviest
French offensive combat operations at present are taking place in the northern Tigharghar
Mountains bordering Algeria, where two French task forces have been hunting down the remaining