Burkina Faso

The border area of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger has become the epicentre of a fast-growing crisis marked by unprecedented levels of armed violence, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says.  Armed assailants have forced more than 3,600 schools and 241 health centres in those countries to close.

Almost 300,000 people in Burkina Faso have been forced to flee their homes since last December and nearly 766,000 in total are displaced as of today.  More than half the internally displaced have inadequate shelter or none at all, and $10 million has been allocated from the Central Emergency Fund to help them.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees today said it is deeply saddened by reports of the deaths of at least 20 people during a stampede for food and cash in Niger’s Diffa region on Sunday.  The number of victims could rise as more information is received.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said it’s seeking $107 million to support life-saving humanitarian operations in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.  There are acute food, nutrition, health, water and sanitation needs, but funding for humanitarian operations there remain historically low.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary‑General António Guterres:

Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo will visit Ukraine from 12 to 13 December, holding talks with Ukrainian authorities, representatives of United Nations agencies and partner civil society organizations, including groups representing internally displaced persons, women and youth.

The Special Representative for Iraq told the Security Council that hundreds of thousands of Iraqis - from all walks of life – have taken to the streets out of love for their homeland, expressing frustration for the lack of progress and calling for the country to reach its full potential for the benefit of all Iraqis.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary‑General António Guterres:

Food prices rose in October for the first time in five months as international sugar and cereal quotations climbed significantly, FAO reports.  Wheat and maize export prices increased sharply due to reduced crop prospects as rice prices slipped, owing to subdued demand and prospects of an abundant basmati harvest, FAO said.