OCHA Situation Report
Burundi
12 -18 February 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Activities and Updates

Response to victims of flooding: As part of the response to the damage 
caused by recent torrential rains which devastated crops in several 
areas of Burundi, United Nations agencies provided assistance to 
affected population. UNICEF, through its partners, the Burundi Red Cross 
(BRC) and International Rescue Committee (IRC) has to date provided Non 
Food Items (NFI) comprising blankets, plates, cups, 10-litre water jerry 
cans, 10-litre pails, plastic sheetings and tablets of soap to 1,129 
affected families in Gatumba (Bujumbura Rural). UNICEF has also supplied 
Insecticide Treated Nets which are being distributed by the Ministry of 
Health. In preparation of the distribution of tents to cover about 655 
classrooms which were destroyed in the provinces of Bururi, Bujumbura 
Rural, Bujumbura Mairie, Gitega, Ngozi, Kayanza, Ruyigi and Makamba, on 
14 and 15 February, UNICEF trained staff of the Provincial Directorates 
of Education in said provinces on how to put up the tents and will begin 
distribution as soon as the lists of priority schools are received from 
the Provincial Directorates of Education. Within its targeted 
distribution programme, WFP delivered assistance to 13,000 persons, 
mostly victims of recent torrential rains.

Food aid update: WFP delivered 738 MT of food aid to 167,600 
beneficiaries over the last two weeks (1-16 Feb) through different 
programmes: Food for Work, school feeding, supplementary and therapeutic 
feeding centres and assistance to refugees and Burundians returning to 
their home country. Such sustained assistance should help vulnerable 
populations in general and prevent / reduce the number of children not 
attending school due to lack of food in particular.

Food security: the preparations for the distribution of seeds and seed 
protection rations by the FAO and the WFP for the 2007B agricultural 
season are underway. FAO, WFP, CRS and their implementing partners are 
in the last stages of the preparation for the distribution campaign. FAO 
/ Emergency and Rehabilitation Coordination Unit (ERCU) has started 
dispatching the seed stocks to the various targeted provinces, with 
special attention to areas more severely affected by the recent 
torrential rains. Out of a total of 418,593 targeted vulnerable 
families, 256,100 will be assisted with seeds and tools by FAO/Emergency 
and Rehabilitation Coordination Unit (FAO/ERCU). The remainder will be 
covered by interventions from other actors such as CRS and GTZ.

Repatriation: The rate of Burundian refugee returning remains low. Over 
the reporting period, UNHCR registered 231 returnees. Since the 
beginning of the year, a total of 2,178 people have returned.

Update on Burundians Expelled from Tanzania: Over the reporting week, 
the Governmental project for the reintegration of war-affected persons 
(PARESI) registered 37 new arrivals at the Kinazi site (Muyinga). Before 
they were transferred to their collines of origin, expelled persons 
received assistance which was distributed by the Burundian Red Cross 
Society. Additionally, mosquito nets were provided to expelled persons 
in Kinazi who have no reference. At the same time, in order to provide 
assistance to expelled persons arriving in Cankuzo, the newly set up 
site of Muzenze in Mishiha commune opened its doors on 18 February. 37 
persons who were staying around the communal premises were registered 
and assisted. Areas of origin include Muyinga, Kirundo and Karuzi 
provinces.

Protection and Security

Security and Accessibility: The security situation in Bujumbura Rural, 
Cibitoke and Bubanza remains calm. No security incident has been 
reported from the ground lately.

For more information:
   E-mail: ocha-burundi@un.org
   Tel: 205000 Ext. 5558

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