Disaster

BAMAKO, 16 mai 2012 (AFP) - Le Mouvement pour l'unicité et le jihad en Afrique de l'Ouest (Mujao), groupe armé présent dans le nord du Mali, menace de tuer un Espagnol qu'il retient en otage avec deux femmes, une Italienne et une Espagnole enlevés en octobre 2011 dans l'ouest de l'Algérie, selon son porte-parole.

By Chris Tidey

NIAMEY, Niger, 11 May 2012 – Chronic food insecurity and malnutrition are mainstays of everyday life for thousands of families in Niger. Following the failed rains and poor harvests of 2011, the country is now in the midst of its third nutrition crisis since 2005.

Over 6 million people, more than half of whom are children, are currently estimated to be food insecure. UNICEF and its humanitarian partners in Niger now estimate that more than 394,000 children will require treatment for severe acute malnutrition over the course of the year.

• Islamists block aid at gates of Timbuktu

• Talks to release convoy unresolved

• Northern Mali in chaos since coup, rebellion

TIMBUKTU, May 15 (Reuters) - Mali's Islamist rebel group Ansar Dine blocked an aid convoy with tonnes of food and medical supplies for the northern city of Timbuktu on Tuesday, objecting to the presence of women in a reception committee set up for the aid.

Just back from a trip to the drought-stricken Sahel region of Africa, WFP Executive Director Ertharin encourages G8 leaders meeting at Camp David later this week to build on the promise of the 2009 L’Aquila Summit, by uniting public and private sector partners behind national plans for food security. This article was originally written for the Global Food For Thought blog of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

The Government has accepted the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee and approved two grants from the Disaster Relief Fund totalling $6 million to World Vision Hong Kong to undertake relief projects for drought victims in Mali and Niger.

Announcing the grants today (May 15), a Government spokesman said that the Committee hoped the two grants - each of $3 million - would help provide relief to the drought victims in the two countries.

Apportant depuis la mi-février une aide humanitaire aux dizaines de milliers de personnes réfugiées dans le camp de Mberra, en Mauritanie, SOLIDARITES INTERNATIONAL intervient également dans le nord du Mali, où insécurité alimentaire & choléra menacent.

Arrivée à Bamako le 20 avril, notre équipe exploratoire s’est consacrée à la collecte d’informations sur les besoins humanitaires dans le nord du pays, en échangeant avec les organisations locales et internationales présentes.