OCHA Situation Report
West Africa
Report for June 2007
19 June 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS

- Epidemics (cholera and meningitis) caused more than 2 300 deaths
between January and June 2007; however, the funds received to date to
respond to these epidemics have been insufficient.

- Floods pose a real problem of protection to affected population
populations. The victims of the 2006 floods still need humanitarian
assistance. There is thus need to integrate the preparation to respond
to floodings in the CAP mid-year review.

- The security situation continues to deteriorate in northern Niger,
causing humanitarian agencies to restrict their movements in this area.

1 - SOCIO-POLITICAL AND SECURITY SITUATION

Guinea

>From 24 to 27 May 2007, the Government of Guinea organised a meeting in
order to define strategies aimed at improving the country's political,
economic and social situation. The meeting ended with the adoption of a
three-year programme to improve the macro-economic situation and the
access to public utilities such as water, electricity and
telecommunications. Humanitarian partners in the regions of Conakry,
Labe, Kindia, Kankan and Nzerekore continue to be confronted with
security and protection problems.

Niger

The security situation in northern Niger is still of concern to the
populations living in this area. Armed robberies and clashes between
elements of the MNJ (Movement for Justice in Niger) and government
soldiers are still reported. In reaction to the deteriorating security
situation, the humanitarian organisations have restricted their
movements in this area.

Following the appointment of a new Prime Minister (3rd June 2007), the
political situation has become relatively calm. However, the opposition
parties and civil society are said to have stated their disappointment
about the choice of the new Prime Minister considered as close to his
predecessor. In an interview with the press on 7 June 2007, the new
Prime Minister declared that the priorities on which his Government
shall focus relate to the rapid resolution of the crisis in the
education sector, curbing the insecurity in the north of the country and
preparing for the next farming season.

Mali

After Siby I and II, Kita, Fana and Gao, the Peoples' Forum, commonly
known as the Anti-Globalisation Movement was held in Sikasso (southern
Mali), from 4 to 7 June 2007. The forum convened at the same time as the
G8 summit, held in Germany, on 6, 7 and 8 June 2007. Some 800
participants from Mali and other countries of the sub-region, (notably
Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Benin, and Togo) took part in this meeting.
A large number of topics were discussed in Sikasso: debt, agricultural
policy, land conflicts, food security, the introduction of GMO in poor
countries, the African economy and neo-liberal globalisation, the
creation of a South Bank to replace the World Bank, the Cotonou Accord,
emigration, etc.

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