Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
During the reporting period, security situation in Mali has been marked by an increase in incidents attributed to the Non-State -Armed Group in the central and southern regions of the country. The ongoing military operations continue to have a negative impact on humanitarian access, with curfew in the northern regions (Gao, Timbuktu, Kidal, Menaka), travel restrictions and blockade in the surrounding areas of main cities.
As for socio-political and diplomatic situation, it is still marked by the decision of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to withdraw from ECOWAS with immediate effect.
A total of 1,743 schools were non-operational in February due to insecurity, affecting over 522,000 children and 10,400 teachers. This reflects a rise since January, with 90 newly closed schools and only 4 reopened.
8,854 severely malnourished children (including 4,516 girls) aged 6-59 months were admitted for treatment and 52,437 children were immunized against measles in Sikasso, Kayes, and Kita regions.
SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
The socio-political and diplomatic situation, it is still marked by the decision of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to withdraw from ECOWAS with immediate effect. In the wake of this statement, tensions between the sub-regional organization and the Sahel Alliance States were on the rise. The discussions that followed within ECOWAS's governing bodies (conferences of heads of state) and the appeals for calm made by the institution's historic figures made it possible to lift the sanctions imposed on Mali and Niger in view of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue aimed at resolving the differences and preventing their withdrawal from ECOWAS.
Regarding the security situation, it is still dominated by Force Armee Malienne (FAMa) operations to secure and reconquer the national territory in the Central and Northern regions. In the southern regions, Jamāʿat Nusrat al-Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM) appears to be accelerating its installation phase by increasing attacks on poorly secured security force positions, such as checkpoints and isolated outposts, in Koulikoro, Segou, Kayes and Sikasso regions and implementing controls on certain roads, particularly in the Koutiala area.
The ongoing military operations continue to have a negative impact on humanitarian access. In addition to curfews in the northern regions (Gao, Timbuktu, Kidal, Menaka), travel restrictions in the surrounding areas of main cities are imposed to humanitarians by Security Forces. The deterioration in the security situation is accompanied by an increase in criminal incidents, which increasingly affect humanitarian personnel.
The town of Ménaka has been experiencing access problems since December 2023. Prices for basic food items have soared, markets are empty and the few that remain are struggling to cater for the new arrivals and host communities. The scarcity or absence of flights to bring food and medicine to Ménaka only exacerbates the crisis. The influx of displaced people is putting additional pressure on existing resources.
During the reporting period, twenty (20) confirmed cases of measles were recorded compared to the same number in February 2023. The cumulative number of confirmed measles cases from the 1st to the 9th week of 2024 (January-February) is seventy (70) compared to fifty-six (97) cases in the same period in 2023, a decrease of 27%.
Mali has been experiencing a polio epidemic due to the circulating PV variant type 2 since February 03, 2023. The country has a total of 24 cases of cVDPV2 including 06 cases from environmental surveillance and 18 cases from AFPs, of which 02 are from 2022, 15 cases for 2023 and 1 case for 2024.
There have been 998 suspected dengue cases in the Koulikoro, Sikasso, Mopti, Taoudenit and Bamako regions, including 172 confirmed cases. Since the epidemic's onset in July 2023, 6,991 samples have been analyzed, with 1,104 positive cases and 34 deaths, resulting in a fatality rate of 3.08 per cent.
As of February, 1,743 schools were non-functional due to insecurity, impacting over 522,000 school-aged children and 10,400 teachers.
This marks an increase since January, with 90 newly closed schools and only 4 reopened. The situation remains volatile, with 63 schools reopening and 67 newly closed between December 2023 and January 2024.