Burkina Faso: Floods - May 2008

(Extract)

What is DFID doing?

Building climate knowledge and capacity

DFID is supporting programmes to improve knowledge of the impacts of climate change at the local level in Africa.

We were instrumental in facilitating the design of Africa's Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev) programme. This programme, managed by the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and the African Development Bank, aims to improve climate change analysis in Africa and identify how countries can become more resilient to its impacts.

This report covers the period 01/01/2009 to 30/06/2009.

In brief

The Sahel region is among the poorest with national societies facing multiple hazards related to climate change, health emergencies and epidemics, and food insecurity due to locust invasions and desertification. The Sahel region is also a flood prone area and is concurrently experiencing isolated cases of drought. Malnutrition and food insecurity constitute very big challenges.

Soixante-quatrième session
Point 72 a) de l'ordre du jour provisoire*
Renforcement de la coordination de l'aide
humanitaire et des secours en cas de catastrophe
fournis par les organismes des Nations Unies,
y compris l'assistance économique spéciale :
renforcement de la coordination de l'aide
humanitaire et des secours en cas de catastrophe

Period covered by this Final Report: 18 November 2008 to 30 May 2009.

Appeal target (current): CHF 1,209,435 (USD 11,209,889 or EUR 804,145).

Appeal coverage: 100%;

Appeal history:

- This Emergency Appeal was initially launched on a preliminary basis on 11 July 2008 for CHF 750,000 for two months to assist 47,500 beneficiaries.

- Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF): CHF 483,047 was allocated from the Federation's DREF to support the National Societies and contingency stocks.

- Operations Update no. 1 was issued on 14 August, 2008.

Main findings

Infectious diseases cause close to 14 million deaths every year worldwide. But the mortality rate should not be the only factor considered and can even be misleading. Even though noncommunicable diseases are now responsible for the majority of deaths worldwide, this report shows that communicable diseases are still indeed the dominant burden in poor and vulnerable settings. This further increases the inequality for health and care between rich and poor countries.

Red Cross Red Crescent operations responding to epidemics more than tripled between 2004 and 2007.

(ECHO/-WF/BUD/2009/01000)

LA COMMISSION DES COMMUNAUTÉS EUROPÉENNES,

vu le traité instituant la Communauté européenne,

Vu le règlement (CE) No.1257/96 du 20 juin 1996 concernant l'aide humanitaire1, et en particulier ses articles 2 et 15, paragraphe 2,

considérant ce qui suit:

(1) Le niveau du taux de malnutrition aiguë globale des enfants de moins de 5 ans est au-delà du seuil d'urgence internationalement admis dans la région Sahélienne de l'Afrique de l'ouest.

(2) La population du Sahel est exposée à des chocs externes cycliques de plus en plus fréquents …

ECHO/-WF/BUD/2009/01000

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1257/96 of 20 June 1996 concerning humanitarian aid(1), and in particular Articles 2 and 15(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) The global acute malnutrition rate among children under five in the Sahel region of West Africa is above the internationally agreed emergency threshold.

(2) The people of the Sahel are increasingly at risk from external cyclical shocks such as drought, locusts, price rises, epidemics and …

Executive summary

The Sahel sub-region countries are among the poorest in the world. The impact of disasters in this region is magnified because populations are already vulnerable. Multiple natural hazards are prevalent, including health emergencies and epidemics, food insecurity, locust invasions, and desertification. The region is susceptible to floods that destroy crops and infrastructure, and concurrently experiences isolated cases of drought.

Period covered by this Ops Update: 11 July-14 August 2008;

Appeal target (current): CHF 750,000 (USD 731,134 or EUR 462,475);

Appeal coverage: donor support is currently being recorded, and will be made available in the next update

Appeal history:

- This Emergency Appeal was initially launched on a preliminary basis on 11 July 2008 for CHF 750,000 for 2

months to assist 47,500 beneficiaries.

- Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF): CHF 483,047 was allocated from the Federation's DREF to support the national society to respond.

Summary:

A preliminary Emergency …

By Moustapha Diallo, International Federation, Dakar

The rainy season has begun in many countries across West and Central Africa. In rural areas, farmers had already cleared and ploughed the fields a month earlier, waiting impatiently for this moment.

It is a moment of hope, but also one of apprehension, because most of these people depend on subsistence or rain-fed agriculture.

Par Moustapha Diallo, chargé de communication et d'information pour la zone Afrique centrale et de l'Ouest de la Fédération internationale

La saison des pluies s'est installée progressivement dans de nombreux pays en Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centre. Dans les zones rurales, les paysans avaient déjà, un mois plutôt, défriché et labouré les champs attendant avec impatience cet instant.

Un moment d'espoir mais aussi d'angoisse car la plupart d'entre eux dépendent de l'agriculture de subsistance ou pluviale.

This preliminary Emergency Appeal seeks CHF 750,000 (USD 731,134 or EUR 462,475) in cash, kind, or services to support the National Societies of West and Central Africa to assist 47,500 beneficiaries.

CHF 483,047 has been allocated from the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to start the planned activities. Discussions are currently taking place to reallocate approximately CHF 550,000 remaining from the 2007 West Africa floods appeal to support this appeal.

OUAGADOUGOU, 2 June 2008 (IRIN) - The UN Secretary General's Special Advisor on conflict, Jan Egeland, is travelling in the Sahel this week to draw the world's attention to a region the UN says is experiencing the worst effects of climate change in the world. He is writing a diary for IRIN, and this is the first instalment from the Burkina Faso capital, Ouagadougou.

There's a very academic discussion happening in Europe right now still asking 'is the climate already changing' and 'is climate change noticeable today'.

OUAGADOUGOU, 28 May 2008 (IRIN) - Heavy rains that hit Ouagadougou on 25 May left 542 people homeless, over half of them children, Gabriel Semdé, the provincial director of the government ministry for social welfare and national solidarity, told IRIN.

Up to 93 families lost their homes in two of Ouagadougou's districts. The families are currently sheltered in local schools and community centres.

Most of the homes were mud huts which are often easily destroyed in floods.

'Some victims lost everything in the rains,' Gabriel Semdé said.