Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
- From January to December 2024, new waves of population displacements occurred due to persistent insecurity and fragility in the Sahel. This led to an additional 25,921 people (including 15,034 children) crossing the border between Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire to seek asylum. By 31 December 2024, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that a total of 70,500 people—58 per cent children, the majority under 12 years—had fled from Burkina Faso into northern areas of Côte d’Ivoire.
- On 24 July 2024 Côte d'Ivoire declared an epidemic of mpox. As of 16 December 2024, the country had recorded 484 suspected cases, including 107 confirmed cases, of which 106 had been cured and one death reported. Children under 15 years accounted for 41.1 per cent of confirmed cases. UNICEF responded immediately by supporting the government with the establishment of four case management centres in two health districts and assisting with the national response plan.
- Climate change is contributing to more frequent and intense flooding in Côte d'Ivoire. In 2024, 19,266 people (9,470 children) were affected. (Source: Ministry for National Cohesion, Solidarity and the Fight against Poverty).
- In 2024, UNICEF continued to work closely with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire to meet humanitarian needs, including by screening 73,105 children for wasting, treating 4,111 severely malnourished children under five and vaccinating 39,510 children against measles. UNICEF provided safe water for drinking and domestic needs to 11,777 people, including 4,938 children. Some 3,057 people received hygiene kits, 22,016 children received individual learning materials, and 688 children benefited from individual case management for their protection.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
The deteriorating security situation in Burkina Faso, which led to an increase in the number of asylum seekers in 2023, continued in 2024. From January to November 2024, 25,921 people (15,034 children) crossed the border from Burkina Faso to Côte d’Ivoire, seeking asylum. As of November 2024, Côte d’Ivoire hosted an estimated 70,500 asylum-seekers from Burkina Faso, 65,301 of whom were registered by UNHCR. Most forcibly displaced persons in northern Côte d’Ivoire are women and children (82 per cent), while 41 per cent (around 28,995) are school-age children, and more than 19 per cent are under five.
Multisectoral assessments identified urgent needs in nutrition, water, hygiene, sanitation and education. Children in these contexts are highly vulnerable, facing risks like forced marriage and violence, unregistered children/children who do not have birth certificates.
Communities in the Bounkani and Tchologo regions of Côte d’Ivoire have difficulty accessing basic social services and economic development is lower compared to the rest of the country. Scarcity of services exacerbates inequalities and tensions, while lack of economic opportunities increases vulnerabilities to the Sahel crisis, especially for youth and women. UNICEF included essential supplies for women and girls in its procurement plan, which has helped to meet some of their needs.
In 2024, multiple incidents occurred along the northern borders of Côte d'Ivoire with Burkina Faso, including incursions by Non-State Armed Group (NSAG) and armed forces into villages in the Téhini prefecture (Tchologo). Additional security incidents were reported in Mali’s border areas, especially in Tengrela. The unrest in Mali also triggered population displacement in the Folon region, exacerbating humanitarian needs.
Regarding the epidemiological situation, during 2024, 889 cases of dengue were notified, and 887 confirmed cases of dengue fever were recorded, including 443 dengue type 1,441 dengue type 3 and 3 non-typed.
On 24 July 2024, Côte d'Ivoire declared an epidemic of mpox. As of 16 December 2024, the country has recorded 484 suspected cases, including 107 confirmed cases in 34 health districts, of which 106 have been cured and one death has been reported (i.e. case fatality rate of 0.9 per cent). Children under the age of 15 account for 41.1 per cent of confirmed cases.