European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
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The humanitarian situation is deteriorating quickly and severely in Burkina Faso, a fragile country among the 10 poorest in the world. The internal conflict has intensified, spreading across northern, western, eastern, and into southern regions of the country. The armed violence has caused massive population displacements, while civilians are increasingly targeted. A state of emergency remains in 14 out of the 45 provinces in the country.
Conflict affects most of the regions in Burkina Faso, especially to the north and northwest of the country, close to the border with Mali. There has been a more than a hundredfold increase in the number of internally displaced people since 2018, when the conflict between non-state armed groups and state forces escalated and intercommunal attacks increased. In 2019, violent attacks claimed almost 2,190 lives, 60% of whom were civilians.
The widespread violence affects people’s livelihoods. Access to fields and markets is becoming even more challenging, meaning families cannot always meet their food needs. Both internally displaced people and refugees heavily depend on humanitarian aid as they have lost their means of subsistence.
Conflict has also hit hard educational and health facilities. While all schools are now closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, even before, more than 2,500 schools were closed due to insecurity, leaving some 350,000 children without access to education. Health facilities are under threat, with more than 294 local health centres either closed, restricting access to healthcare to 1.1 million individuals, or operating at a minimum service.
The coronavirus pandemic is an additional challenge to the already fragile health system in the country.
The volatile security situation makes it increasingly difficult for humanitarian workers to access the people most in need, only worsening needs in these hard-to-reach communities.
In 2020, the EU is supporting humanitarian action in Burkina Faso with €24.8 million. This amount includes €12 million in additional funding mobilised recently to help aid organisations in Burkina Faso scale up their actions in face of the rising humanitarian needs triggered by conflict and floods. It will also help their projects adapt to the new needs brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
The EU’s humanitarian action in the country focuses on providing humanitarian aid to internally displaced people and host populations affected by the ongoing armed conflict, addressing the food and nutritional crisis, and building the capacity of local organisations to prepare for and respond to emergencies. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, EU-funded humanitarian projects have adapted their actions to help beneficiaries and staff stay safe. Actions already focusing on the health sector and in providing access to clean water and sanitation are taking into account the new needs brought about by the pandemic, in line with the country’s COVID-19 Response Plan. The EU also contributed funding in support of the WHO’s actions in the country on early detection and response, and on having adequate expertise on the ground.
Burkinabe people uprooted within the country and host communities receive food assistance, shelter, and basic essential items. Improving access to healthcare and providing mental health support to help people overcome the traumatic experience of conflict is also a priority. EU support provides education in an environment where schools have closed and teachers and students face threats from armed groups.
EU humanitarian aid funds the delivery of emergency food assistance during the lean season – the crucial period of the year between harvests, normally running from June to September, when food reserves are depleted. At the same time, assistance provides free nutritional care for malnourished children under 5 years of age.
EU aid in Burkina Faso also supports disaster risk reduction. Ongoing programmes include increasing communities’ preparedness to face health risks and strengthening the national response system to prevent and manage food and nutrition crises. To reinforce people's ability to cope with crises, the EU links its humanitarian emergency assistance with its longer-term development cooperation. In this respect, EU development assistance in Burkina Faso supports a national programme enabling access to free healthcare for children under 5 years of age. This ensures that life-saving interventions addressing malnutrition are maintained beyond the immediate, short-term emergency measures funded by humanitarian aid.
Factsheet
