UNHCR Calls For Global Support To Address Record Displacement In Burkina Faso

UNHCR Calls for Global Support to Address Record Displacement in Burkina Faso

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd July, 2021) UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling for concerted action to address unprecedented numbers of people locally and internationally displaced in Burkina Faso, the organization's spokesperson, Babar Baloch, said on Friday at a press briefing in Geneva.

Last week, the government of the African country released new figures, according to which more than 1.3 million citizens, or 6% of its population, have been internally displaced in just over two years. In the first half of 2021, about 237,000 individuals were forced to migrate to other areas of Burkina Faso, a significant rise compared to 96,000 who fled during the same period last year. Since this January, more than 17,500 people have left their homeland to neighboring countries, nearly doubling the total number of refugees from the country in just six months.

"As attacks on civilians and security forces by jihadist groups in Burkina Faso become more frequent and increasingly violent, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling for concerted action to address record-breaking numbers of people forced to flee inside the country and across international borders," the UNHCR said in a summary of Baloch's briefing.

The organization also called for joint efforts to achieve peace and stability in Burkina Faso and neighboring Central Sahel countries, Mali, and Niger, experiencing a sharp rise in violence and displacement.

The agency appealed for support as its funding requirements to tackle humanitarian challenges in Burkina Faso is $607 million and $259.3 million for the Central Sahel in 2021.

Presently, 38,000 Burkinabe refugees and asylum seekers are scattered across Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Mali.

The past two years have seen a worsening security situation across Burkina Faso's northern and eastern regions (large parts of the East, Central North, North, Sahel, and Boucle du Mouhoun regions) due to the presence of non-state armed groups - many with cross-border ties to extremists groups or movements in neighboring Mali and Niger.