South Sudan

Africa

Central African Republic
13 March 2018: A Catholic bishop accused UN peacekeeping troops of sexual abuse against internally displaced women and girls in his diocese adjoining the Catholic cathedral in Bangassou city, Mbomou prefecture, and warned that they could be guilty of crimes against humanity. Source: National Catholic Reporter

Introduction

KEY MESSAGES

↗ International prices of wheat and maize rose in March for the third consecutive month and averaged more than 10 percent above their levels in December 2017. Prices were mainly supported by concerns over the impact of prolonged dryness in key-growing areas of the United States of America and Argentina, coupled with strong demand. International rice prices remained relatively stable.

Global Overview MARCH 2018

Staple Food Markets in East Africa: White maize is the main staple grain consumed in Tanzania, Kenya, and Ethiopia. In Uganda, white maize is grown mainly as a commercial crop for export in the region. Imported rice is a major staple for Somalia, which mainly consume belem—the imported red rice. Tanzania is also a major producer and source of rice in the region while Kenya and Uganda are minor producers. Both red and white sorghum are produced and consumed in the region. This is an important staple in Sudan and Somalia as well as in other marginal agricultural areas of the region.

Aid in Danger partner agency incidents. Partner agencies operated in 12 countries. Partner agencies reported 591 incidents in seven countries and six security measures taken to protect staff, assets and programmes in four countries. The total number of reported incidents below reflects the willingness of agencies to share information. It is not a complete count nor representative. For other incidents recorded by the Aid in Danger project, including from open sources, please see NGO Security Incident Overview.

In this issue of the UN Migration Agency Regional Office for East and Horn of Africa bulletin, we reflect on our water and sanitation work in the region.

IOM, with support of its partner, has been providing life-saving water and sanitation services to displaced persons, refugees and host communities in the region.

Mensajes claves

Estimaciones globales sobre la inseguridad alimentaria aguda en 2017

• Alrededor de 124 millones de personas en 51 países se enfrentan a una situación de Crisis de inseguridad alimentaria o peor (equivalente o superior a la fase 3 del IPC/CH) y requieren una acción humanitaria urgente para salvar vidas, proteger los medios de vida y reducir los niveles de hambre y desnutrición aguda.

Messages clés

Estimations mondiales de l’insécurité alimentaire aiguë en 2017

• Environ 124 millions de personnes vivant dans 51 pays sont en situation d’insécurité alimentaire de Crise ou pire (Phase 3 ou pire de l’IPC ou du CH ou équivalent) et requièrent une action humanitaire urgente afin de sauver des vies, protéger les moyens d’existence et réduire les déficits de consommation alimentaire et la malnutrition aiguë.

They were lively and lovely, and they moved me close to tears. The Angolan teenaged girls I met told me about their dreams and the barriers they face to achieving what is simply normal elsewhere – finishing primary school, graduating from high school, protecting themselves from unplanned pregnancy and HIV, being safe from male aggression, living and loving in peace and harmony, and having a better future than their parents.

Key messages

Acute food insecurity global estimates in 2017

• Around 124 million people in 51 countries face Crisis food insecurity or worse (equivalent of IPC/CH Phase 3 or above). They require urgent humanitarian action to save lives, protect livelihoods, and reduce hunger and malnutrition.

INTRODUCTION & KEY TAKEAWAYS

This Outlook provides an overview of the anticipated humanitarian situation in the Great Lakes region from January to June 2018. It focuses on Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and neighbouring countries—including Angola, Kenya and Zambia—that have received refugees and asylum-seekers due to the DRC crisis.

The application is vital for early detection of Fall Armyworm and guiding best response

14 March 2018, Rome - FAO has launched a mobile application to enable farmers, agricultural workers and other partners at the frontline of the fight against Fall Armyworm in Africa to identify, report the level of infestation, and map the spread of this destructive insect, as well as to describe its natural enemies and the measures that are most effective in managing it.

Funding required: $23.18 B
Funding received: $936.6 M
Funding percentage: 3.8%
People in need: 128.8 M
People to receive aid: 93.6 M Countries affected: 35

KEY MESSAGES

↗ International prices of wheat and maize increased further in February, mainly supported by weather-related concerns and currency movements. Export price quotations of rice also continued to strengthen, although the increases were capped by subsiding global demand for Indica supplies.

↗ In East Africa, in the Sudan, prices of the main staples: sorghum, millet and wheat, continued to increase in February and reached record highs, underpinned by the removal of the wheat subsidies and the strong depreciation of the Sudanese Pound.

High levels of food insecurity persist in the world, due largely to conflicts and to adverse climatic shocks that are taking a toll, particularly in East African and Near East countries, where large numbers of people continue to be in need of humanitarian assistance, a new FAO report notes. Some 37 countries are in need of external assistance for food, unchanged from three months ago, according to the Crop Prospects and Food Situation report issued today.

7 March 2018

Distinguished President,
Excellencies,
Colleagues, Friends,

A few days ago, we celebrated the centenary year of Nelson Mandela’s birth. We spoke of his example; his fortitude, his suffering and compassion, while recalling also the declaration that he and my predecessor Mary Robinson signed in 2000 on diversity and tolerance.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) monitors trends in staple food prices in countries vulnerable to food insecurity. For each FEWS NET country and region, the Price Bulletin provides a set of charts showing monthly prices in the current marketing year in selected urban centers and allowing users to compare current trends with both five-year average prices, indicative of seasonal trends, and prices in the previous year.

Overview

This Weekly Bulletin focuses on selected acute public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 52 events in the region. This week’s edition covers key new and ongoing events, including: