Highlights
In Burundi, the security situation remains highly volatile. On 11 December, 87 people were killed in clashes between government forces and armed gunmen, who attacked three military sites in Bujumbura.
Overview
High levels of political instability and frequent violence persist, having begun in April when President Nkurunziza declared his intentions to run for a third term. The security situation remains volatile and is deteriorating rapidly across the country, particularly in the capital Bujumbura. On 11 December, in the worst outbreak of violence since the failed coup, reports indicate that 87 people were killed in clashes between government forces and armed gunmen, who attacked three military sites in Bujumbura.
The influx of Burundian refugees into neighbouring countries continues, causing concern for the stability of an already fragile region. As of 17 December, more than 225,000 people had fled Burundi into the DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and as far away as Zambia.
The 2016 Burundi Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRRP) launched on 07 December requests USD 313.9 million to provide protection and assistance to 330,000 Burundian refugees expected to have arrived in the DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda by the end of December 2016. Of these, USD 73 million is required by WFP to respond to the needs of the refugees in the four hosting countries.
Burundi
In Burundi, the political crisis and deteriorating insecurity is worsening the humanitarian situation, given the deteriorating food security situation and declining economy. According to the recently concluded Emergency Food Security Assessment (EFSA), about 645,000 people in the affected provinces are food insecure. Of these, about 35,000 people are severely food insecure and require urgent emergency food assistance. The assessment recommends strengthening of resilience activities for moderate food insecure households. In addition, there is need to strengthen treatment and prevention of moderate acute malnutrition among children below 5 years, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers in Bujumbura rural, Makamba, Rumonge and Bujumbura Mairie Provinces, which reported an increase in global acute malnutrition (GAM) levels.
The operation continues to face serious resource constraints. Critical pipeline breaks are expected in February 2016, if new contributions are not received soon. This will negatively impact WFP’s interventions for the vulnerable people affected by the crisis, as well as normal operations planned under the ongoing programme. An increase in the number of people in need of immediate food assistance, resulting from the ongoing crisis, would exacerbate already existing resource shortfalls.