Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
- Since early September, heavy rains and rising water levels of the Niger River have caused extensive flooding across nearly all of Mali’s 20 regions, impacting estimated 259,795 people. At least 110 of schools were flooded, damaged, collapsed, or repurposed as temporary shelters for displaced families. As a result, on September 30th, the Ministry of Education declared a postponement of the school year to November 4th, underscoring the gravity of the crisis.
- On September 17, an attack on the Bamako International Airport and a nearby gendarmerie school resulted in damage to two UN aircrafts. This incident has disrupted humanitarian operations reliant on air transport to reach remote areas, preventing temporarily aid workers from traveling.
SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
In September 2024, Mali’s security situation remained volatile, with non-state armed groups intensifying their attacks on Malian security forces and civilian population. The resurgence of violence, particularly in the Menaka and Gao regions, has destabilized these areas, posing severe challenges for humanitarian operations, including disruption of major supply routes. In the west, attacks by non-state armed groups were concentrated in the Timbuktu region, where new tactics, including drone strikes on security positions, marked a concerning shift. These attacks, along with kidnappings and demands for financial support from villagers, have deepened the vulnerability of local communities.
The activity of non-state armed groups extended across Mopti, Ségou, Koulikoro, and other regions, where confrontations with local militias disrupted essential transport and heightened insecurity. An attack claimed on the Bamako International Airport and a nearby gendarmerie school on 17 September underscored the ability of these groups to spread violence to the capital, damaging two UN aircrafts in the process. This incident has significantly impacted humanitarian actors' reliance on air transport for access to remote areas, preventing the travel of humanitarian workers and further deteriorating humanitarian access to northern regions. Humanitarian flights were reduced by about three-quarters for the remainder of September, affecting also the transportation of humanitarian cargo. However, in September, humanitarian organizations managed to resume their activities in the Timbuktu region after a suspension in mid-August due to threats from non-state armed groups. The regions most affected were Ségou, Timbuktu, Gao, and Mopti.
Since the beginning of September, heavy rains and the Niger river’s rising water levels have caused significant flooding throughout the country. Almost all of Mali's 20 regions have been affected by flooding to varying extents. The area's most severely impacted included Timbuktu, where estimated 37,173 individuals have been affected, Ségou, with 71,882 individuals impacted, and the Bamako district which has seen 16,234 affected individuals. Across the country, 110 schools were reported to be used as shelters for those displaced by the floods, and 35 health centers incurred damages. This situation resulted in the postponement of the start of the school year. The new school year was originally set to begin on October 1st. However, on September 30th, the Ministry of Education declared a postponement of the school year to November 4th, underscoring the gravity of the crisis.
In terms of epidemic surveillance, five confirmed measles cases were reported in September, in Bamako, Koulikoro and Sikasso regions. From January to September 2024, a total of 314 confirmed measles cases were recorded, representing an 8 per cent decrease compared to the 341 cases reported during the same period in 2023. Between weeks 36 and 39 of September, 47 suspected meningitis cases were identified, with two confirmed. No health district has crossed the epidemic threshold for meningitis so far in 2024. A total of 76 confirmed meningitis cases were recorded from week 1 to week 39 of 2024, up from 54 cases during the same period in 2023. Regarding dengue fever, 483 suspected cases were reported between weeks 36 and 39, with 74 confirmed cases. The cumulative total for weeks 1 to 39 stands at 6,085 suspected cases, with 716 confirmed and seven deaths.
The country remains on maximum alert due to ongoing health emergencies, specifically MPOX and cholera, affecting the African region. In the 40th week, one suspected case of MPOX was reported by Commune VI of Bamako District, with no associated deaths. From the 1st to the 40th week, a cumulative of 18 suspected cases of MPOX was reported nationwide, with no fatalities.