KEY FIGURES
297
Mauritian refugees and urban refugees were registered to receive health insurance to improve their access to medical services.
1,799 Mauritanian refugees were registered during a UNHCR verification mission in the district of Yélimané.
281 Refugee returnees and host community members in Timbuktu were selected to receive UNHCR support for agricultural projects.
PRIORITIES
850 Malian IDP returnee households targeted to received adequate and durable shelter
6,000 Malian refugee returnees targeted to receive cash vouchers
2,500 Mauritanian refugees and local community members targeted to receive improved access to potable water
1,000 refugee children targeted to receive educational support
FUNDING
USD 49.2 million
Highlights
A joint mission to the commune of Gargando in Timbuktu region verified the presence of 147 refugee returnee households (418 individuals) with proper documentation.
Twenty-one Mauritanian refugee children from the refugee site of Hassidougou who had previously dropped out of school returned as a result of sensitization sessions on the importance of education carried out by UNHCR’s partner, Stop Sahel, as well as support by the village of Guénaourou to provide boarding options.
On April 28, the Malian government endorsed the establishment of a technical committee on the domestication of the Kampala Convention on internal displacement. This committee will be charged with activities related to the integration of the convention with national laws. These efforts will be facilitated with the support of UNHCR, the Global Protection Cluster and other protection actors.
UPDATE ON ACHIEVEMENTS
Operational Context
Despite gradual progress in the peace and reconciliation process in Mali, the security situation remains volatile with terrorism and criminal activity continuing to hamper humanitarian operations, particularly in the north and the centre.
Violations of basic human rights are still reported, prices of basic necessities are high, and local populations are in dire need of access to public services, documentation, water, and food security. Some 134,915 Malian refugees remain in neighbouring countries and 36,762 displaced persons in Mali are waiting to see whether conditions in their area of origin improve to allow them to return in safety and dignity.
The month of April was marked by violent protests in the region of Kidal. On 18 April, 200 to 300 people reportedly led by members of the Mouvement National de Libération de l’Azawad (MNLA), participated in violent protests in response to arrests made by the French counterterrorism operation, Barkhane, following the death of three French soldiers by an anti-tank mine on 12 April. Barkhane has carried out numerous counterterrorism operations targeting Ansar Dine, a terrorist group. The 18 April protests damaged the Kidal airfield, hindering humanitarian access in that region.
The threat of terrorism and criminality remains high in the north and centre of Mali. A reinforced presence of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in the north of Timbuktu has been observed. Banditry and heightened criminality in the districts of Timbuktu, Goundam and Niafounké are of heightened concern to UNHCR given the potential presence of refugee returnees in the region. Furthermore, several terror-related incidents were recorded over the month of April including attacks on the MINUSMA camp in Ansongo in the region of Gao, an IED explosion against a MINUSMA convoy on the Tessalit-Aguelhok road in the region of Kidal, as well as an attack on a Forces Armées et de Sécurité du Mali (FAMa) checkpoint near the village of Boni in Mopti region. Ansar Dine claimed responsibility for all these attacks. During the month of April, nearly 3,242 Malian refugees based in refugee camps in Niger and Burkina Faso signalled their intent to return to the regions of Timbuktu and Gao in the near future despite the volatile security situation. According to government sources, there has been an increase of approximately 4,699 refugee returnees between the months of February (42,690) and April (47,389).
National and international counterterrorism operations have begun to dissuade some terrorist attacks in Mali, but no reduction in the threat level is expected over the near term. National and international security forces remain the targets of most attacks, but international civilian personnel are at risk for potential targets or in hostage takings or kidnappings.
On 18 April, three staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were detained in the region of Kidal by Ansar Dine and then released on 22 April.
In short, terrorism and criminality continue to destabilize local communities, preventing displaced persons from returning to their homes and further threatening their access to already limited basic social services. For humanitarian actors, access to persons of concern remains one of the biggest challenges not least due to the UN-security restrictions imposed in Northern Mali. Incorporating protection principles and promoting meaningful access, safety and dignity for humanitarian aid remains key for humanitarian actors.