Attachments
- Appeal №: MDRML020
- DREF allocation: CHF 1 million
- IFRC Secretariat Funding requirements: CHF 4 million
- Federation-wide Funding requirements: CHF 8 million
- People [affected/at risk]: 2,002,191 people
- People to be assisted: 200,000 People
- Appeal launched: 01/11/2024
- Appeal ends: 31/10/2025
SITUATION OVERVIEW
Mali, home to over 22 million people, is grappling with multi-faceted crises driven by floods, armed conflict, and mass displacement. Ranked 184th on the Human Development Index, the country had 330,713 internally displaced persons (IDPs) as of 31 May 2024. Security incidents surged from 1,475 in the third quarter of 2023 to 2,288 in the same period in 2024. The recent floods have only exacerbated these challenges, impacting more than 369,722 individuals.
As of 21 October 2024, Mali is experiencing its worst flooding in decades, affecting 69,655 households and resulting in 91 deaths and 148 injuries. The floods have led to the collapse of 40,445 homes, with 2,562 households seeking refuge in schools, displacing 14,706 people. The devastation extends to agriculture, with losses of 85,566 hectares of crops, 733,683 tons of grain, 2,715 granaries, and 8,600 livestock. The National Directorate of Social Development (DNDS) reports thousands of injuries, further straining the country’s infrastructure.
Flooding has compromised access to drinking water and sanitation by inundating 5,489 wells and 19,455 latrines, thereby heightening health risks. Following the severe damage to infrastructure, the government declared a national disaster which has delayed the start of the school year.
The food security crisis, compounded by floods and insecurity, now affects 1,370,248 individuals, with 120,923 in emergency conditions. The loss of grain and hectares of farmland is expected to limit food access, particularly in the regions of Koulikoro, Mopti, Timbuktu, and Gao, where skyrocketing food prices is exacerbating the situation. Among the affected are migrants – IDPs and returnees – living under dire conditions due to conflicts and flooding. Many are in inadequate shelters, facing urgent needs for housing, food, and water, particularly 54,350 migrants residing in overcrowded areas with limited access to services. A rapid humanitarian response is essential to address the urgent needs for housing, food security, and protection.
In the first half of 2024, over 4,000 return migrants were identified in Mali, requiring assistance for reintegration into their home areas. This process has been complicated by the recent floods, which have destroyed vital infrastructure and livelihoods, making reintegration even more challenging in already fragile communities.
The situation is further exacerbated by armed conflicts, intercommunal tensions, and rising crime, all of which threaten the safety of civilians and humanitarian workers and contribute to mass displacements. INSO-Mali recorded 1,475 security incidents in the third quarter of 2023, increasing to 2,288 in the third quarter of 2024, including 31 incidents affecting non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The Malian Red Cross reported 10 security incidents in 2023, with seven recorded by 10 October 2024.
As of 30 September 2024, OCHA reported that the Humanitarian Response Plan for Mali had 3 received less than 30 per cent of the required funding, highlighting the ongoing resource challenges amid the escalating needs.
TARGETING
The intervention areas include Bamako, Kayes, Koulikoro, Sikasso, Gao, Ségou, Mopti, and Timbuktu. This Emergency Appeal targets 200,000 people with a budget of approximately CHF 40 per target. The Mali Red Cross, or Croix-Rouge Malienne (CRM) will focus on the areas most impacted by flooding, food insecurity, and displacement, prioritising internally displaced persons (IDPs) and migrants, with efforts directed toward supporting the most vulnerable in hard-to-reach areas often inaccessible to other aid groups.
Priority will be given to women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities due to their heightened vulnerability to the impacts of floods. The secondary focus will be on communities in floodprone (particularly riverside) areas to address specific local needs.
Targeted households will include those that have lost their homes or livelihoods, as well as those in high-risk areas. Larger families, households with young children, pregnant or nursing women, children under five, and people with disabilities will receive prioritised support, while female-headed households will also be a key focus in the distribution of aid.
PLANNED OPERATIONS
In this Emergency Appeal, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and its members seek CHF 8 million to support the Mali Red Cross in responding to this complex crisis. The Mali Red Cross will adopt an integrated approach to address the urgent needs of populations affected by food insecurity, population displacement, and flooding. The IFRC’s scaling-up strategy will target 200,000 people across five regions, implemented in two phases:
- Phase 1 (October to December 2024): Immediate Emergency Response – This phase aims to meet the most pressing humanitarian needs through direct assistance in shelter, health, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, and food security.
- Phase 2 (January to October 2025): Post-Emergency Relief and Recovery – This phase will provide cash and in-kind support to kickstart community recovery processes. It will emphasise epidemic preparedness and response at the community level, incorporating innovative climate adaptation measures through awareness and training, enhancing community resilience with the Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (VCA) methodology, and updating contingency plans with simulation exercises. Disaster response preparedness will include forming multifunctional National Disaster Response Teams (NDRT) and coordinating with early warning systems for emergency assessments and pre-positioning emergency kits.