OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
2 - 11 September 2005

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Highlights

IDPs: in order to ensure follow-up of the recently completed 2005 IDP
survey, OCHA has started updating the data in displacement sites
nationwide. This follow-up aims to prepare a series of guidelines for
community reinsertion activities underway throughout the country.
Information being collected and updated also includes returning refugees
in collaboration with UNHCR. A clear description of each displacement
site will describe the situation of the site, categories of people and
their access to basic services such as water, health facilities, and
schools. Serving as reference, this document will also provide new
government authorities with a general overview and common understanding
of the situation.

Activities and Updates

Food security: Food security remains a top priority for humanitarian
organizations in Burundi as the situation remains fragile in various
parts of the country. To this end, the newly integrated Food
Security/Nutrition sector working group held its first meeting on 8
September. Led jointly by WFP, FAO and UNICEF participants include UN
and NGOs partners in food, agricultural and nutritional programmes. The
recently nominated chief of staff at the Ministry of Agriculture also
attended the meeting. Prior to the meeting, FAO, WFP, UNICEF, OCHA and
ACF conducted a joint mission to assess the food insecurity and
nutritional situation in the northern provinces of Kayanza and Ngozi.
The mission focussed on the high risk areas and identification criteria,
the current humanitarian activities/programmes and their limits, the
nature, the duration and the period for assistance to respond to the
current situation. Higher numbers of admissions at
supplementary/therapeutic feeding centres in the two provinces are the
result of a combination of factors: rising population density, malaria
incidence, poor access to healthcare, pests affecting mostly cassava
crops and land degradation.

Refugee returns: The pace of repatriation of Burundian refugees from
Tanzania remains high. During the reporting period, 2,786 Burundians
have returned home under the UNHCR facilitation programme through the
transit centres of Nyabitare (Ruyigi) and Mabanda (Makamba). As of 11
September, UNHCR reports 40,187 facilitated and 1,192 spontaneous
returnees since January 2005. Total: 41,379. The provinces of Rutana,
Makamba, Ruyigi, Muyinga and Kirundo are the main zones of return.

WFP food aid: during the period, WFP has distributed 1,910 MT of food
aid to 284,853 beneficiaries in several provinces. The distribution of
seeds protection rations (SPR) to support the 2006-A agricultural season
is underway. The programme plans to reach 179,000 households nationwide
during September and October.

Coordination

Ruyigi Province: OCHA, UNICEF and the women's provincial committee
visited the Batwa community in Kigamba and Nyarunazi areas in Ruyigi
Province. The mission's objective was to raise awareness among the Batwa
community with regard to the importance of children's education and
schooling. Around 84 Batwa households live in Kigamba and Nyarunazi
areas.

For Information Adelaide Habonimana, National Information Office
PH: (257) 910 196
E-mail: habonimanaa@un.org

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