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HUMANITARIAN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (HIP)

WEST AFRICA

The full implementation of this version of the HIP is conditional upon the necessary

appropriation being made available from the 2020 general budget of the European

Union

AMOUNT: EUR 89 092 000

The present Humanitarian Implementation Plan (HIP) was prepared on the basis of

financing decision ECHO/WWD/BUD/2020/01000 (Worldwide Decision) and the related

General Guidelines for Operational Priorities on Humanitarian Aid (Operational

Priorities). The purpose of the HIP and its annexes1 is to serve as a communication tool

for DG ECHO2’s partners and to assist in the preparation of their proposals. The

provisions of the Worldwide Decision and the General Conditions of the Agreement with

the European Commission shall take precedence over the provisions in this document.

This West Africa HIP covers some 15 countries3, four of which – Burkina Faso, Mali,

Mauritania, and Niger – have budget allocations. The HIP may also respond to sudden or

slow-onset new emergencies in Benin, Cabo Verde, Ivory Coast, the Gambia, Ghana,

Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, if important unmet

humanitarian needs emerge.

0. MAJOR CHANGES SINCE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE HIP

Fifth modification as of 17/6/2020

The total budget of the HIP is increased by EUR 15.268 million of which: 14.5 million

from the Emergency Aid Reserve: Burkina Faso: EUR 1.3 million; Mali: EUR 6.6

million, Niger: EUR 6.6 million. Burkina Faso allocation is further increased by a transfer

of EUR 768 000 from the Austrian Development Agency which targets COVID-19

consequences. This additional funding from the Emergency Aid Reserve will focus on

food and nutritional crises, conflicts and their consequences. The additional funding will

be used to tackle an already unprecedented multifaceted crisis before the effect of the

unexpected COVID-19 epidemic, with emergency food assistance, nutrition, multi-

sectoral rapid response assistance, protection, support to humanitarian operations. In

particular, extra funding will be used to mitigate the risk linked to food insecurity during

the lean season starting in June 2020.

The full implementation of this version of the HIP is conditional upon the necessary

appropriations being made available from the 2020 general budget of the European

Union, including the transfer from Austria.

Please note that the rest of the document (analysis, figures, etc.) remain unchanged.

Fourth modification as of 25/05/02020

1 Technical annex and thematic policies annex

2 Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)

3 Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali,

Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

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An additional amount of EUR 672 000 has been made available from a contribution in

External Assigned Revenues from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg under the title of

“Humanitarian response to the direct and indirect consequences of COVID-19 on

vulnerable populations in Mali”.

This amount will be used in line with the overall objective agreed with the Luxembourg

Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs: To support an integrated response to the

specific needs arising from the COVID pandemic in Mali with a focus on health and

nutrition, as well as additional, indirect needs caused by the pandemic within vulnerable

populations.

Third modification as of 12/05/2020

An additional amount of EUR 2 000 000 has been made available from the Emergency

Aid Reserve of DG ECHO to fund interventions in Niger in order to help address

consequences and humanitarian needs generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, in

particular in the fields of health, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) or logistics.

Second modification as of 27/04/2020

An additional amount of EUR 10 000 000 has been made available from the Operational

Reserve of DG ECHO to fund interventions in Burkina Faso in order to help address the

food crisis, the consequences of the sharp increase of displacements, factoring in the

COVID-19 pandemic and the need for operational support.

First modification as of 17/01/2020

An additional amount of EUR 1 152 000 has been made available from a contribution in

External Assigned Revenues from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and

International Cooperation under the title of “Emergency Initiative to strengthen the

humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations”. This amount will be integrated and

directly allocated to the first cycle of call for proposals.

This amount will be used in line with the overall objectives agreed with the Italian

Ministry: to promote an integrated multi-sectoral response to the needs in the Central and

Northern regions of Mali, in its priority-supported sectors of nutrition and food assistance.

1. CONTEXT

West African countries covered by this HIP are among the poorest in the world: nine of

them are among the bottom ranked 20 positions in the Human Development Index (HDI).

Their growing population – estimated at 181.1 million people – faces large-scale extreme

poverty, galloping demographic growth, rising insecurity, conflict and resulting

displacement, fragility, the impact of climate change, natural hazards, and epidemic.

Across all dimensions of governance, the World Bank4 ranks Burkina Faso, Mali,

Mauritania and Niger in the lower third group of countries worldwide, in particular on

political stability and government effectiveness. National budget allocations for social

services have sharply decreased recently whereas there is an increased focus on security

and related spending.

Almost 24 percent of the global demographic increase between now and 2050 will occur

in 10 countries in the Sahel. 48 percent of the population increase of the entire continent

over the next 10 years will happen in the same countries5. In the 10 countries of the Sahel

4 https://info.worldbank.org/governance/wgi/

5 http://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/docs_opinion/2019/DIEEEO61_2019LAUTOR_demografia_ENG.pdf

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the average fertility is 4.9 children per woman (7.1 in Niger). By 2100, UNDP6 estimates

five-fold increase in population in Burkina and Senegal, and ten-fold in Niger. This trend

by itself will create strong pressure on governments in the delivery of basic social

services.

On another account, the 10 countries in the Sahel are projected to face temperature

increases of 1.5 times higher than the global average. Climate forecasts for the Western

part of the Sahel indicate a very high risk of the third consecutive drought (rainfall below

normal in 2017, 2018 and 2019) and a risk of drought in Niger and Mali.

While progress is made on the Humanitarian-Development Nexus related to forced

displacements, and to nutrition security, growing insecurity and conflict makes the

implementation of development programmes even more difficult in several regions.

Conflict affected-areas are characterised by a multiplication of armed groups, low control

by governments on remote territories, a volatile security situation and an overall limited

knowledge and low respect of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

By end 2019 an Action Plan EU Security and Defence Integrated Engagement for the

Stabilisation in the Sahel7 will formalise how development, security, diplomacy and

humanitarian aid will interact through an integrated approach in the Sahel and the wider

region. The EU has ongoing engagements through CSDP in the Sahel via three civilian

and military crisis management missions (EUTM Mali, EUCAP Sahel Niger, EUCAP

Sahel Mali). As part of a political partnership, the EU is supporting the G5 Sahel Joint

Force in security and stability (i.e. support to G5 permanent secretariat through the

African Peace Facility and the operationalisation of its police component through FPI),

and development cooperation (through the European Development Fund and the EU

Emergency Trust Fund for Africa). This support also includes the establishment and

operationalisation of a Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law compliance

framework.

On the southern borders of the area covered by this HIP, DEVCO is engaged through a

number of programmes to support a gradual return of the State and basic services. DG

ECHO has included support to enhance the rapid response capacity of humanitarian

stakeholders in Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in an on-going regional operation.

1.1 Perspectives on crises

The recurrence of climate shocks (high variability), food crises (2005, 2008, 2010, 2012,

2015, 2018) and the impact of ongoing conflicts (including inter-community and

involving non-state armed groups) and related security measures make improvements of

the humanitarian situation very unlikely in the near future: humanitarian needs are on the

rise, crises are multi-level and need coordinated responses.

The major humanitarian crises affecting the region are: (i) the recurrent Sahel food and

nutrition Crisis (forgotten humanitarian crisis affecting Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso,

Niger, northern Nigeria, Chad and northern Cameroon,); (ii) the Lake Chad crisis

affecting Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon8); and (iii) the armed conflicts in Mali and

neighbouring countries (forgotten crisis, affecting Northern and Central Mali, Burkina

6 2 UNDP, DESA. (2017). “World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision, Key Findings and Advance

Tables.” New York, 2017. Working paper. No. ESA/P/WP/248

7 Internal document. This will be part of a wider ongoing work on the elaboration and the adoption by the

G5 Sahel Partners of a Strategic Integrated Framework, 8 Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon are covered by the Central Africa HIP

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Faso, Mauritania and Niger). Twenty million people live in conflict-affected areas in

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Forecasts indicate a deterioration of the security situation in the on-going armed conflicts.

Insecurity has never spread so fast, in such vast areas and affected so many people. The

spill over of on-going armed conflict in Central Sahel from Mali to Burkina Faso and

west Niger is rapidly intensifying; with a risk of moving further South (Benin, Togo,

Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire).

The number of refugees, internally displaced (IDPs) and returnees increased by 830- 000

(almost +120%) to over 1.5 million people in Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania and Niger

since end 2018. In September 2019 WFP issued a level 3 emergency declaration for the

Central Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) until March 2020. Likewise in August 2020,

UNHCR declared a level 2 emergency for Niger (Maradi crisis) until March 2020.

Additional forced displacements are expected as well as further reduction in the access to

basic services by the local population in conflict affected areas. Displacement adds

pressure on limited natural resources, exacerbating inter-community tensions. Conflict

jeopardises the functioning of markets (including through government imposed security

restrictions), livelihoods and essential social services at local level, as well as outputs

reached in terms of development support.

1.2 Recurrent shocks with an impact on food and nutrition situation in the Sahel

Sahelian countries have been experiencing regular food and nutrition crises over the past

15 years. The combined effects of high vulnerability and shocks such as extreme weather,

volatile prices, armed conflicts and high insecurity contribute to increasingly recurrent

severe food insecurity and high malnutrition rates in the Sahel. Increasing fragility,

continuing conflicts, lack of resources and competing priorities hamper governments and

partner’s commitments towards resilience, vulnerability and poverty reduction. Armed

conflicts and/or conflicts between farmers and herders and their consequences such as

implementation of security measures, are becoming one of the main driver of food

insecurity in this zone.

Almost 10 million people are struggling with food insecurity and malnutrition is

threatening the lives of 5 million children in the Sahel region. In addition, populations’

displacement due to the deterioration of the security situation leads to a decrease in

agriculture production in conflict zones and abnormal high animal concentrations in some

areas due to mobility restrictions. All these factors increase pressure on shared resources

and their degradation. In the conflict zones of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and

Chad, market disruptions make it difficult for vulnerable households to access staple

foods9. Results from the regional analysis (Cadre Harmonisé) of the food security

situation in west and central Africa show an alarming deterioration of food security in the

9 Sahel countries for the 2020 lean season. An estimated 14.9 million people in need of

emergency food assistance (phase 3 to 5) in the Sahel region, between June and August

2020 (5.4 million people in the countries covered by this HIP). Seasonal forecast for mid-

season 2019 suggest drier than average conditions in the Senegal-Gambia-Mauritania

region and some parts in Niger, Mali, Chad and Nigeria, that may extend eastward into

other Sahelian zones. In Mauritania and Senegal, the last three consecutive years of

severe rainfall deficit have significantly eroded livelihoods.

9 http://www.cilss.int/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/RPCA_Avis_PREGEC_Bamako_June2019_EN.pdf

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1.3 Lake Chad Crisis

The rise of Boko Haram (BH) in the North-East of Nigeria some ten years ago has

expanded across the Lake Chad Basin. Multiple issues and dynamics are affecting a

region increasingly marked by insecurity, instability, lack of development and climate

change. Today, the Lake Chad area is among the largest and most protracted humanitarian

crises in the world. The non-state armed groups continue to represent a major threat to

security and stability. During the last year, attacks against Nigerian military targets have

intensified in number and calibre.

The 2020 outlook for the region remains therefore very worrisome with no sign of

reduction of the humanitarian needs in the short-term. Insecurity, violence and conflicts

will likely continue to affect the region in a context of extreme poverty and structural

limited access of basic services for the most vulnerable.

Resources from this HIP will only target Niger among the countries affected by this

crisis10

. Niger’s south-eastern Diffa region has been particularly affected in the first 2019

semester by a spate of armed attacks. In March, at least 21 attacks on civilians and

military sites were recorded, killing 88 and leaving 12 abducted, a record number for the

region (107 deaths for the whole 2018). As of May 2019, there were around 250 000

displaced people in Diffa, according to the Directorate of Civil Registry, Refugees and

Migration. The insecurity has also affected the access to basic services like education and

health. As of July 2019, around 30 schools are closed, for instance, in an area where

schools are already very scarce. Access to emergency health care (e.g.: obstetric) is

compromised as most of the health structures are not functioning from dusk to dawn. In

addition, in June 2019, a food security analysis in Diffa shows that 350 out of 606

agricultural villages have suffered production deficits affecting over 270 000 people.

1.4 Armed conflicts in Mali and neighbouring countries

The security situation in the Northern and Central Mali and in the border areas with Niger

and Burkina Faso is a growing concern, despite the presence of the United Nations

Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), two EU training

missions, the French Sahel operation Barkhane, the G5 Joint Forces and the Malian army.

Since mid-2018, the Centre of Mali, has seen a dramatic increase in violence and

insecurity caused by non-state armed groups, criminal groups/traffickers and inter-ethnic

clashes, which has also spread to Burkina Faso and Niger. This has resulted in massive

forced displacements in 2019 (more than doubled compared to 2018). Due to this crisis,

as of December 2019, some 1 050 000 individuals11

are forcibly displaced in Mali,

Burkina Faso, West Niger and Mauritania, of which over 800 000 in 2019 only, mostly in

Burkina.

There are very low prospects for a resolution of the conflict in the immediate future. The

security situation is worsening and expanding rapidly with a risk of affecting

neighbouring countries (Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire). The displacement trends

are likely to continue in the same pace as the previous months, while the conditions for a

safe and sustainable return of IDPs and refugees are unlikely to improve. The prevailing

insecurity, coupled with lack of basic services (especially health and education) and

livelihood opportunities are not conducive for return, thus create a protracted

displacement situation for which there is no proper strategy in place.

10

Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon, covered by the Central Africa HIP, are not mentioned here 11

UNHCR and other sources.

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1.5 Main vulnerability indicators per country

Country Burkina Faso Mali Mauritania Niger

Human Development Index (2018) 183/189 182/189 159/189 189/189

Overall INFORM Risk Index 2019 4.9 6.4 5.9 6.6

- Hazard and Exposure 3.3 6.1 5.3 5.5

- Vulnerability 5.7 6.0 6.4 7.0

- Lack of Coping Capacity 6.1 7.0 7.0 7.6

The INFORM Crisis index

- Conflict Intensity score 0*/3 3/3 0/3 2/3

- Natural Disasters index 0/3 0/3 3/3 3/3

Uprooted People index 0/3 0/3 2/3 2/3

Type of crises Food and

nutrition crisis,

Armed conflicts

, natural

hazards and

epidemics

Armed

conflicts, food

and nutrition

crisis, natural

hazards and

epidemics

Food and

nutrition crisis,

Armed conflicts

(Mali), natural

hazards and

epidemics

Lake Chad crisis,

food and nutrition

crisis, Armed

conflicts (Mali),

natural hazards

and epidemics

Total population 19 751 535 19 077 690 4 403 319 22 442 948

- Of whom affected by crises

(HRP)

1 475 000 3 900 000 691 329 2 300 000

- % of total population 7.5% 20.4% 15.7% 10.2%

Population affected by Sahel Crisis

(in need of food assistance, data

from Food Security Cluster /Cadres

Harmonises)

676 252 650 000 606 647 1 171 562

-% of total population 3.5% 3.4% 13.8% 5.2%

*The dramatic deterioration of the security situation in Burkina in 2019 is however neither reflected in the

INFORM crisis index to date or in the beta version of the Global Crisis Severity Index which measures

current severity crisis (“medium”).

DG ECHO's Integrated Analysis Framework for 2019 identified high humanitarian needs

in Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. The vulnerability of the populations

affected by the crises of the covered regions is very high.

2. HUMANITARIAN NEEDS

2.1 People in need of humanitarian assistance

Approximately 8.3 million people are in immediate need of humanitarian assistance in

Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

2.1.1 Forcibly displaced people affected by on-going conflicts

In Burkina Faso, over 560 000 people are internally displaced, a tenfold increase

compared to the number in December 2018 (47 000 people). Forced displacements have

been triggered by the dramatic deterioration of the security situation across several

regions (Sahel, East, North, North-Centre, and Boucle du Mouhoun), a growing presence

of armed non-state actors, increasing inter-community tension, criminality and harsh

reprisals by national security forces. The state of emergency has been declared in 34 out

of 45 provinces. State services in conflict-affected areas have reduced, with 1450 schools

and 178 health centres closed or working at minimum capacity, disrupting the delivery of

basic social services. An estimated 15 000 Burkinabe have fled the country in search of

refuge, primarily to neighbouring countries of Mali, Niger and Ghana, which represent a

significant development of the regional crisis.

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In Mali, 273 000 people have been newly displaced according to the DG ECHO’s Rapid

Response Mechanism partners. As there are no suitable government monitoring

mechanisms that follow up the IDP situation and needs, the upper estimate for 2018 and

2019 could reach 420 000. In Centre Mali, intercommunal violence between Fulani

(traditionally herders) and Dogon (traditionally farmers) has dramatically increased since

mid-2018. The presence of non-state armed groups and self-defence militias has further

compounded the conflict with attacks against civilians reaching unprecedented levels of

violence. These attacks have caused more than 640 civilian deaths in the first half of

2019. The number of Malian refugees in three neighbouring countries remains overall

stable since the 2012 crisis. Over the years, only 74 733 refugees have come back to Mali,

including a return of 2 086 individuals from Mauritania in 2019.

In Mauritania, spontaneous returns of the Malian refugees hosted in M'Bera camp are

very few, given the prevailing security situation and the extremely limited access to basic

services in Mali. This protracted refugee situation has put a further strain on the already

scarce resources in the area, eroding the resilience capacity of host communities living

around the camp.

In Niger, the deteriorating security situation and the implementation of state of

emergency measures in 18 departments of the country contribute to increase

vulnerabilities of population affected by armed and/or farmer/herder conflicts in the

regions of Diffa, Maradi, Tahoua and Tillabery; where the functioning and access to basic

services such as health and education is increasingly challenged, affecting not only the

displaced but also the host population. Military operations by all parties in conflict are

likely to intensify and trigger additional displacements and humanitarian needs. The high

insecurity is translated into attacks on civilians, kidnappings and looting that are regularly

recorded. New influx of refugees has been recorded in 2019 in Maradi region where 60

000 people fled violence from the neighbouring Zamfara and Sokoto States in Northern

Nigeria. Overall, nearly 450 000 people have been forcibly displaced across the country,

and opportunities for return are very limited.

2.1.2 Children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition

In 2019, almost 730 000 children under five years old suffered from Severe Acute

Malnutrition (SAM) and face immediate risk of mortality in the countries covered by this

HIP. Severe Acute Malnutrition is exceeding the emergency thresholds in several regions.

Severe Acute Malnutrition – children under 5 Individuals SAM children (2019 estimates)

Burkina Faso 133 066

Mali 184 751

Mauritania 31 682

Niger 380 166

Total 729 665

Source: UNICEF and HRP, mid-term review June 2019

2.1.3 Vulnerable people affected by acute food crisis or natural disaster and

epidemics

During the peak of the lean season (June-August 2019) over 3 million people, in the four

countries suffered from severe food insecurity, with 1 million in the border areas of

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

Food insecure people Population in phase 3-5

Burkina Faso* 687 458

Mali** 659 770

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Mauritania* 606 647

Niger* 1 171 562

Total 3 125 437

* Cadre Harmonisé March 2019 ** Food Security Cluster

West Africa is also regularly affected by epidemics (for instance yellow fever, Lassa

fever, measles, cholera, and meningitis), natural hazards (such as floods, landslides,

droughts, and locust invasions).

2.2 Description of the most acute humanitarian needs

2.2.1 Most vulnerable people and populations affected by ongoing armed conflicts

and natural disasters

Access to agricultural land, pastoral resources, markets as well as essential services like

health, education, justice or other basic services have been disrupted, entailing increased

food insecurity, malnutrition, and protection risks for the population as well as increased

morbidity and mortality. Structural national systems’ weaknesses are further exacerbated

in areas affected by the conflict, including complete interruption of services in certain

areas. Violations of IHL and human rights of civilian populations by armed groups and

regular armed forces are reported.

Needs are most acute in sectors such as protection, food assistance, nutrition, health,

shelter, WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) and Education in Emergencies. Specific

support is required for those affected by displacement to ensure access to basic services,

as well as to prevent epidemics. A particular attention should be given to the most

vulnerable, i.e. children, women, elders and persons with disabilities.

In 2019, Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) surpassed the serious threshold of 10% at

national level in Mali, Mauritania and Niger; and is above 15% critical level in several

regions of Mauritania and Niger. Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) rates are above the

critical level of 2 % in several regions of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger; with

a nutrition crisis expanded over 6 out of 8 regions in the case of Niger. Reports and

assessments show a deterioration of nutritional status of children, and an increase in the

number of children affected by Severe Acute Malnutrition in populations affected by

increase of insecurity in Northern Burkina Faso, Central Mali, Western Niger, and in

newly displaced population from Nigeria in eastern and central Niger.

In 2019, over 2.5 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, including 730 000

suffering from severe acute malnutrition in the 4 countries. Access to maternal and child

health and nutrition care remains a major obstacle for poor households, and populations in

high insecurity level areas. Early detection and prevention of Severe Acute Malnutrition

are equally lagging behind.

While the capacities of national health systems to manage Severe Acute Malnutrition in

the region have increased, they remain limited and cannot always cope with the remaining

high caseload often aggravated by population displacements. Furthermore, they have been

undermined, or even interrupted, by the degradation of the security and access conditions.

External support is therefore still necessary to ensure quality health and nutrition care

services at scale to avoid further increase in child mortality. Nutrition assistance, from

early detection to treatment and recovery, and prevention activities, should be scaled up

urgently, targeting children under five and pregnant and lactating women.

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As of June 2019, over 3 million people suffered from severe food insecurity in the four

countries of this HIP12

. Needs remain largely uncovered, contributing to the further

erosion of households’ livelihoods and capacities to withstand shocks year after year.

Building resilience to recurrent and severe shocks requires nationwide social protection

measures, such as multi-year safety net programmes that are struggling to be scaled up:

adaptive social safety nets and food security safety nets covered on average 20% of the

Cadre Harmonisé (CH) needs during the last three years. In addition, dedicated livelihood

or social safety net support targeting the poorest and most vulnerable population could

help mitigate the negative impact of security measures on livelihood.

In 2019, emergency food assistance remained critical, but unfortunately only hardly

managed to ensure a minimum urgent coverage of the most acute needs in every country

of the region, particularly in conflict affected areas.

2.2.2 Emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction

The World Risk Report and the INFORM risk index classifies West Africa amongst the

world’s regions with the highest risk from humanitarian crises and disasters that could

overwhelm national response capacity. It specifies a very high danger-exposure level due

to the threat of natural hazards such as flooding, drought and or sea level rise, epidemics,

coupled with high levels of vulnerability and lack of coping capacity. According to the

2019 INFORM risk index Niger is classified at very high risk, Mali, Burkina Faso and

Mauritania at high risk.

In order to save the lives and protect the livelihoods of vulnerable populations exposed to

hazards, notably insecurity, droughts, floods and epidemics, suitable and effective

preparedness measures, rapid response mechanisms and early warning systems are

required. Measures to reduce disaster risks should be integrated in the different sectors of

assistance or specifically addressed in the humanitarian responses.

3. HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

3.1 National / local response and involvement

Countries in the region coordinate their emergency responses through national multi-

sector response plans.

The nascent safety net and nutrition treatment scale-up offer opportunities for shock-

responsive nationally-led response systems but there is a need to support and develop

them further for them to effectively respond to shocks and crises.

In Burkina Faso, the increasing insecurity and rising armed groups threats absorb much

of the government's budgetary resources, putting pressure on funding of other policy

priorities. The international community has been invited to support the response of the

food crisis while there is a national commitment to respond to the nutrition crisis.

However, the investments in nutrition by the government and through the EU health

sector budget support do not cover the expected needs. The capacity of the Government to

respond to crises continues to be low.

In Mali, the government is still not able to restore access to basic services (health,

education and water) in the Northern regions. In the Centre, access to basic services

continues to shrink, notably in education, health, and nutrition, leaving the population

12

Levels 3-5 CH

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increasingly dependent on humanitarian assistance. The capacities of Government

services to respond to food and nutrition needs are dramatically low, more particularly in

areas under the control of non-state armed groups. The negative spiral of inter-community

clashes, often instrumentalised, has reached a level of violence that renders the protection

of civilians difficult. Assistance to internally displaced people, be it in terms of relief or

durable solutions, appears to exceed government services’ capacities.

In Mauritania, the preparedness and response capacities of the national government and

the local authorities remain limited. National support to nutrition remains insufficient and

is unevenly spread over the country, with areas of low coverage. Progress on development

programmes related to undernutrition and health (including in M’Bera and Bassikounou

where the Malian refugees are hosted) are slow and unlikely to provide the expected

effects by 2020. The level of response in M’Bera refugee camp is not up to scale.

In Niger, technical capacity to address food crisis has been improving with a large

contribution from EU and other donors. But constraints in terms of budget priorities due

to very high level of expenditure on security (17% of national budget) and other priorities

are reducing allocation to the 2019 national response plan and basic social services,

including education, health, the provision of social safety nets and seasonal food

assistance. Health system capacities remain limited and poorly capable of dealing with

small or large influx of patients in a context where risks of movements of populations,

epidemics and severe acute malnutrition are increasing. The capacity of Niger’s

authorities and institutions to respond to the needs of conflict affected populations in the

Diffa, Maradi, Tillabéry and Tahoua regions remains weak but attention of the

government to the humanitarian crisis is increasing. Niger therefore remains highly

dependent on humanitarian assistance to respond to recurrent seasonal food and nutrition

crises and forced displacement in conflict-affected areas.

3.2 International Humanitarian Response

The “2019 Sahel Overview of Humanitarian Needs and Requirements” gives the

following summary of the international humanitarian response:

Burkina Faso Mali Mauritania Niger

People in Need 1 500 000 3 900 000 792 600 2 300 000

People targeted 1 300 000 3 000 000 634 080 1 800 000

Requirements in million

USD

187 324 74,4 382.5

% of funding 31.3 % 36.7% - 37.1 %

3.3 Operational constraints

i.) Access / humanitarian space

Conflict affected-areas are characterised by a multiplication of armed groups, a volatile

security situation and an overall limited knowledge and low respect of International

Humanitarian Law (IHL). Humanitarian organisations are increasingly subject to

criminality, which hampers the general effectiveness of aid implementation. Access is

increasingly challenging and threatened by the blurring of lines between humanitarian aid

and the political agenda, as well as in some cases, limited acceptance by the communities.

The risk of instrumentalisation of humanitarian aid remains high, leading to a potential

misperception about the independence and neutrality of humanitarian action/actors by the

population. It endangers humanitarian workers' safety while reducing access to the most

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vulnerable. The focus on stabilisation in some areas may jeopardise humanitarian space

and access. Dialogue with all parties needs to be pursued and International Humanitarian

Law (IHL) dissemination ensured. Preserving humanitarian space requires the delivery of

humanitarian assistance be based on independently assessed and verified needs and

access. In some areas, the rainy season and poor road conditions might complicate the

provision of assistance, especially in remote areas.

ii.) Presence and capacity of partners

Partners' implementation capacity are stretched in conflict settings, in particular in areas

newly affected by the expansion of insecurity as new expertise is often required to

complete the capacity of existing project teams and their implementing partners. In all

countries covered by this HIP, limited options for international actors to work through

local partners exist and are being utilised where possible.

It remains paramount for DG ECHO partners to ensure adequate implementing capacities

and that all activities involving transfer of resources are properly monitored and

supported by strong accountability mechanisms. It is important as the risk of aid diversion

may be particularly high in some areas. Partners are reminded that they should

immediately inform DG ECHO of any irregularities, incidents or events, in particular

regarding aid misappropriation and theft, likely to hamper or delay the implementation of

the action and resulting in negative financial consequences.

In addition to growing humanitarian needs, insecurity increases the cost of delivery of

humanitarian assistance due to the need for additional security management capacity,

additional support services, such as humanitarian air services or civil military

coordination.

Remote-management is to be only exceptionally applied; and community-based approach

is encouraged when appropriate.

3.4 Envisaged DG ECHO response to most vulnerable people and populations

affected by ongoing armed conflicts and natural disasters

General considerations for all interventions

All humanitarian interventions funded by DG ECHO must demonstrate the integration of

gender and age sensitivity in a coherent manner. Also, all humanitarian interventions

funded by DG ECHO must take into consideration any risk of sexual- and gender-based

violence (SGBV) and should develop and implement appropriate strategies to actively

prevent such risks. DG ECHO equally urges the establishment of quality, comprehensive

and safe SGBV response services.

Specific attention will also be paid to the measures ensuring inclusion of people with

disabilities in proposed actions.

DG ECHO will give particular attention to climate-proofing humanitarian response.

For more information see the Thematic Policies Annex.

The acute needs of populations (internally displaced, refugees, returnees, host and local

communities) affected by conflict and natural disasters in Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania,

and Niger will be addressed according to needs assessments in the following priority

sectors: food assistance, health, nutrition, WASH, shelter and non-food items, protection,

education in emergencies, coordination and logistics. The response analysis should be

multi-sectoral and cross-sectoral and in compliance with protection mainstreaming

principles. When appropriate, DG ECHO will prioritise the cash transfer modality over

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vouchers and in-kind assistance. DG ECHO intended support by country and sector is

further developed in the Technical Annex as supported by the Thematic Policy Annex.

Sudden movements of populations (returns included) may be addressed through a multi-

sectoral support, including Rapid Response Mechanisms, based on the good practice

acquired through the RRMs deployed in Mali, Niger and Burkina. To do so, the needs and

capacities of different gender and age groups, including people with disabilities, must be

adequately assessed, and assistance must be adapted accordingly.

Resilience building, early recovery and self-reliance of populations affected by conflict

must be supported by partners in all situations where feasible being aware of the different

needs and capacities of gender, age and disability groups. This is particularly the case in

protracted, recurring or predictable crises such as those covered by this HIP. Partners

should supply adequate resilience analysis covering the dimensions of the resilience

marker13

.

DG ECHO may help in the delivery of more efficient humanitarian services, particularly

in contexts where access is limited (e.g. humanitarian air and logistic operations,

coordination mechanisms, security management).

The humanitarian response by ECHO Partners should "further strengthen the operational

links between the complementary approaches of humanitarian aid, safety nets

intervention, development cooperation and conflict prevention, in full respect of

humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law” as provided for in the Nexus

Council Conclusions14

. In this sense, where feasible, systematic joint situational analyses,

including conflict sensitivity analyses, should identify risks and assess the causes of

fragility, capacity to react and resilience at different levels. The complex nature of the

conflicts in the region also requires a good understanding and respect of the civil-military

coordination guidelines.

In case of sudden onset disasters or epidemics, and according to the needs, humanitarian

actions could be financed through the instruments included in the Emergency Toolbox

HIP. A specific attention to risk communication and community engagement is required

as highlight in Ebola response. No meaningful humanitarian response is possible without

a strong partnership of affected communities.

The response will be adapted to the evolving needs and coordinated with responses

provided by other actors (i.e. development, stabilisation, security) in support of national

governments as first duty bearers, where appropriate and feasible, and in the strict respect

of humanitarian aid principles and the EU Integrated Approach15

.

In Burkina Faso: ECHO resources will target the conflict-affected regions: “Sahel”,

Nord, Boucle du Mouhoun, Centre-Est, Est and Centre-Nord. Main sectors: multi-sectoral

(RRM mechanism), health and nutrition, food security, protection and education in

emergencies, shelter/WASH, and Disaster Risk Reduction.

In Mali: the priority will be in the conflict-affected regions: North and Central Mali. Main

sectors: multi-sectoral (RRM mechanism), health and nutrition, food security, protection

and education in emergencies.

13

https://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/policies/resilience/resilience_marker_guidance_en.pdf 14

Council Conclusions on operationalising the humanitarian-development nexus,

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/24010/nexus-st09383en17.pdf 15

Council Conclusions on the Integrated Approach to External Conflicts and Crises - Council Conclusions

(22 January 2018)

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In Mauritania: the support will target refugees and host communities. Main sectors: food

security, nutrition, protection and education in emergencies.

In Niger: the focus of support will be in the regions bordering Mali, Burkina and Nigeria:

Diffa, Tahoua, Tillabéry and Maradi. Main sectors: multi-sectoral (RRM mechanism),

health and nutrition, food security, protection and education in emergencies, shelter/Non-

food items and WASH, and Disaster Risk Reduction.

3.5 Strengthening emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction

DG ECHO’s support will focus on local, regional and national systems in order to

increase their capacity in term of early warning and early action, with strategies

promoting multi annual approaches where appropriate. The focus will be on issues linked

to the humanitarian priorities, such as food or nutrition crisis, enhanced capacities to react

to forced displacement or preparedness to increasingly recurrent climatic shocks.

Interventions will be supported on the basis of risk analyses and shall be in line with the

existing Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) national or regional frameworks, addressing

identified gaps in disaster management systems. Emphasis is put on linking preparedness

and surveillance activities with early response from local to national levels. As the region

is prone to disasters, in addition to specific targeted actions DRR is expected to be

mainstreamed in humanitarian responses where appropriate.

4. HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION

4.1 Other/previous DG ECHO interventions

DG ECHO 2019 funding allocations allowed:

In Burkina Faso, to respond to the basic needs of conflict-affected populations in terms

of food assistance, nutrition, health, shelter/NFI, wash, protection and mental health

services; to support access to education and to acute food and nutrition needs of the local

populations.

In Mali, to provide a rapid multi-sectoral response to conflict-affected populations in

Northern and Central Mali as well as specific health assistance, food and nutrition support

to meet acute needs where they arise. To provide Education in Emergencies and to

strengthen emergency preparedness and response capacities. Support to operations to

facilitate coordination and humanitarian access have been made available. Support to the

analysis of protection risks is ongoing. Protection responses are foreseen according to

partners’ capacities.

In Mauritania, to provide an initial response to the food and nutrition crisis, to support

the Malian refugees and the host community and to enhance disaster preparedness and

response capacities.

In Niger, to meet the basic emergency needs (such as food, health, shelter, WASH,

protection, education) of the population affected by armed conflicts linked to the Lake

Chad and the Central Sahel regional crises and when appropriate to the refugee hosting

area in Maradi; to support the treatment of severe acute malnutrition, and respond to high

levels of food insecurity of the most vulnerable population across the country. Support

has been provided to enhance the capacities of key technical services and institutions

dealing with early warning and early responses to conflict-related needs and to respond to

natural disasters.

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4.2 Other donors availability

In Burkina the main donors are the EC/ECHO with 29.5% of the total funding towards

the Humanitarian Response Plan; the United States, the Central Emergency Response

Fund CERF and Germany (11-15.8%); Denmark (6.8%); other donors include Sweden,

France, Switzerland, UK and Japan, each around 3%. The total funding is USD 89.2M

(total funding reported to FTS). The plan is funded at 47.7%.

In Mali, the main donors are the USA with 30.8% of the total funding towards the

Humanitarian Response Plan; EC/ECHO with 19.1%; Germany with 9.5%; Sweden and

Denmark, with 5-6% each; CERF, UK, Switzerland, Japan, Belgium each with 2-3%.

The total funding is USD 164.9M out of a total HRP of USD 324M. The plan coverage is

50.9%.

In Mauritania, in the absence of a formal HRP, the main donors are the EC/ECHO with

39.1% out of a total funding of USD 45.5M; the USA with 30.7%; Japan with 8.5%;

Sweden, France, Germany with 1-4% of the total each.

In Niger, the main donors are: the USA with 41.3% of a total funding of USD 225M;

ECHO/EC with 19.4%, Germany with 10.6%; CERF, UK, Canada (3.2-7.5%). There are

6 EU Member States present with development cooperation portfolios: France, Germany,

Belgium, Spain, Italy, and Luxemburg.

The World Bank increased its commitments towards the “structural” poorest people but

as well as fragile and conflict affected people in West Africa, notably by supporting the

set-up of institutionalised social but also adaptive and reactive safety nets. This

instrument should help reduce the hunger burden in the long-term in the Sahel region. DG

ECHO is following this initiative in the light of its own support given to seasonal safety

nets. However, in conflict-affected countries, World Bank programmes cannot be

geographically and/or thematically connected to humanitarian assistance in a systematic

way, e.g. in view of building synergies toward humanitarian – development Nexus. More

coordination and coherence (prioritisation and targeting of area and households, kind of

support) of humanitarian responses should be done with all kinds of existing safety net

programmes to be sure that humanitarian funds respond to the most acute needs.

In Burkina Faso, a World Bank ‘social safety net program’ is being set-up, with an initial

envelop of 50M USD. Coordinated by the Prime Minister’s office in the CNPS, the wider

rollout of the safety net system has slowed, due to lack on consent on targeting

methodologies/format of the ‘register unique’ and internal government power struggles.

To date, 50% of the initial envelop has been absorbed, and another agreement on a top up

of 110 M is currently being signed. The objective of the initial funding envelop was to

target more than 100.000 people, whom would receive about 30.000 FCFA/trimester

during 3 years. They also receive accompanying measures on income generating projects

which can continue after the three years. Targeted regions are: Nord, Est, Centre-Est,

Sahel, Centre-Ouest and very soon Boucle du Mouhoun, though not all provinces,

communes and villages are included.

France will implement a 50M euro project on the three borders. USAID (Resilience in the

Sahel Enhanced - RISE II) just signed a new project targeting 100,000 households in 11

communes of Centre-Nord for about 169M euro.

In Niger, the World Bank has officially launched the 2nd phase of the Adaptive Social

Net Project where EUR 74.7M (IDA grant) will be allocated for a period of 5 years (June

2019 - June 2024), affecting 8 regions to improve chronic vulnerability and shock

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response. Opportunities for Nutrition include: Food for Peace: $ 153M for the regions of

Zinder and Maradi for food and nutritional security activities. Start of implementation in

2019. Synergistic effects with ECHO programming deserve to be explored from 2020;

World Bank has a $ 50M project, being currently formulated and covering also other

sectors besides nutrition. Hellen Keller International / Islamic Development Bank has a

nutrition project being formulated for a IDB grant from 2020 to 2024 with 3 components:

(1) governance (2) Increasing the availability and accessibility of diversified and

nutritious foods (3): Promoting the good nutritional and dietary practices as well as

preventive care.

The G5 Sahel's Emergency Development Programme (EDP, EUR 266 million) is

implementing projects in conflict-affected areas/ in fragile regions of G5 countries where

humanitarian assistance is also provided. Some partners implement DG ECHO funded

humanitarian Action as well as EDP projects in the same geographical area.

5. HUMANITARIAN-DEVELOPMENT NEXUS

5.1 Other concomitant EU interventions

The EDF is the main EU instrument to provide external development assistance in the

region. The 11th

EDF covers the period 2014 to 2020 with a strong focus on food security,

resilience building and health in Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania and Niger (dedicated

envelope of EUR 832 m). The 11th EDF also offers opportunities to reduce humanitarian

needs by supporting the government's commitments towards the "Zero Hunger" objective

in line with AGIR16

. In the region, seasonal acute food needs are increasingly covered by

the government with substantial EU budget support (EUR 440 million), part of the above

11th

EDF allocation, of which EUR 88.4 million in 2018. A continuation of synergies

ECHO/DEVCO in budget support would facilitate the ownership by the state services in

the provision of basic services in health, education. Budget support could also help the

operationalisation of the humanitarian/development nexus (joint country analyses, greater

alignment between sectors of intervention, etc.) and allow DG ECHO to gradually focus

on emergency food assistance to the most vulnerable population.

The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) supports countries in the Sahel and the

Lake Chad region to achieve peace, security and development. A total amount of EUR

1.953 billion has been approved for 101 programmes/decisions in favour of the Sahel and

Lake Chad region window. The EUTF has been a vehicle for the resilience and nexus

approaches, for example in Burkina with the 30M EUR project on “Strengthening

resilience of vulnerable communities through food and nutrition security”. Since April

2018 a new focus is on migration/refugees management; the resilience objective is no

longer clearly reflected as a thematic priority or in terms of funding pipeline. As the

current EUTF is coming to an end, ECHO cannot predict whether this instrument could

continue to represent an opportunity for humanitarian policies and objectives.

Burkina Faso: Over EUR 1 billion has been allocated to Burkina Faso over the period

2014-2020, through the whole range of the EU instruments. The country benefits from

one of the largest financial supports under the EDF (628MEUR) as well as of important

support under the EU Emergency Trust fund (€245.8 MEUR) for the period 2016 to 2020.

Given the degrading security situation, the government adopted in July 2017 a

"Programme d'Urgence Sahel" (PUS) to face the security challenges in the region, which

16

Global Alliance for Resilience Initiative

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the EU strongly supports with an envelope recently increased to EUR 105 million. The

Programme targets access to basic social services particular for young and women, in

prevention of radicalisation, besides security aspects and local governance. These projects

could offer concrete opportunities to build synergies with ECHO to maintain the

functionality of basic services (health, water access).

The EUTF funds 5 consortia for a total amount of 30 million Euros in bordering areas to

Mali and Niger to strengthen overall resilience of the targeted population in a multi-

sectorial approach. A follow-up regional project of 36M Euro should allow some

continuation of these resilience projects.

ECHO will increase coordination and collaboration with DEVCO including on the future

phases of budget support and other operations in fragile areas of the country.

- Food Assistance Nexus

Objective: a) The Governments with the support of long-term donors increasingly

improve their early warning and context analyses tools; b) The Government provide the

adequate and targeted response to structural severe food insecurity; c) The Government

develops, implement and monitors actively the Response plan; d) .

State of Play: The Conseil National de Sécurité Alimentaire (CNSA) drafts an annual

« Plan de Réponse et de Soutien aux Populations Vulnérables à l’Insécurité alimentaire et

à la Malnutrition » (PRSPV). There is a weak follow up and monitoring of the actual

implementation of this plan, despite the technical assistance provided by DEVCO

funding. In 2019, an ECHO funded DIPECHO project with WFP, OXFAM and ACF

aims to accompany further this plan, including the development of monitoring tools.

On the response to seasonal food insecurity, DEVCO does not specifically fund the

Response Plan (PRSPV), though they provide 190M€uro of budget support to the

Ministry of Agriculture. One important indicator of the Budget Support is the annual

SMART survey. ECHO funding to the seasonal food insecurity response has reduced

since the 2012 crisis and has become more targeted in conflict-affected areas.

- Nutrition Nexus

Objective: Increase of the financial support for SAM treatment, through a diversified

donor group; Institutionalisation of the CMAM treatment and of the seasonal surge

capacity; Increase of UNICEF support on the Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)

supply chain management by national actors, and increase development donors (including

domestic funding) in RUTF financing.

State of Play: Over the last 3 years, ECHO partners have been actively engaged in

delivering a standardized package of capacity building activities in the area of nutrition-

related healthcare to local communities and national health authorities, progressively

phasing out and handing over responsibility to authorities (Centre-Ouest, Boucle du

Mouhoun, Nord, Sud-Ouest, Centre-Est, Centre-Nord and Plateau Central). Yet the recent

flare-up of insecurity has partially interrupted this process in conflict-affected areas, as

state presence weakens (partners are re-engaging in direct service delivery particularly the

Sahel region, while more direct support is being considered in some provinces of the

North and Boucle du Mouhoun region). Nutrition-related activities are included within

the national budget (on the period 2016-2018, a total of 71.5 billion CFA francs were

allocated, representing 1.11% of the total State budget, and 0.32% of Gross Domestic

Product). External financing accounted for 40% of the global amount compared with 60%

of domestic resources.

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The EU, through a budget support programme17

, has engaged at government level to

address acute malnutrition. ECHO has collaborated with the EU Delegation in the design

of the results framework, in particular with the inclusion of an indicator on the purchase

of RUTF. Since 2017, a budget line has been included in the MoH budget to purchase

nutritional products (40.000 boxes of RUTF in 2018, 60.000 in 2019 and 80.000 in 2020).

However, 2019 has seen a decrease in this budget line (reduced to purchase only 15.000

boxes).

- Forced Displacement nexus

Objective: Secure an increased investment from development actors to provide for self-

reliance measures to conflict affected populations as a long term solutions

State of Play: The displacement crisis is still recent and the involvement of Development

actors has not yet materialised. DG ECHO will pursue its advocacy.

Mali: In terms of development cooperation, Member States and the EU mobilise some 2

billion EUR for the 2014-2018 period in Mali. Through the 11th EDF National Indicative

Programme (2014-2020), 690.5 MEUR have been provided to cover 4 main sectors: (i)

Peace consolidation and State reform, (ii) Rural Development and food security, iii)

Education (iv) and Infrastructure. The EU also supports Mali in other areas under its

thematic lines, including under the programmes for Local Authorities (over 5 million

EUR from 2018- 2020), the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights

(EIDHR): almost 3 million EUR for the period 2018-2020, or under the Global Climate

Change Alliance (GCCA), with a contribution of 12 MEUR (2015-2016).

ECHO collaborated with the EU Delegation on a sectoral reform budget support

intervention18

. The changes introduced a DG ECHO-developed nutrition-specific

indicator, with the inclusion of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) under the

essential prescription drug list (minimal package provided in health centres), with a

budgetary commitment of the government to cover them under national budget (gradually

in 2020 and 2021), together with a political dialogue to develop and implement a new

multisectoral nutrition plan 2019-2022. Over and beyond 2020, the support by DEVCO in

the provision of social services are likely to continue in Northern Mali, with adapted

modalities to be elaborated further.

- Nutrition Nexus

Objective: Integration of SAM treatment in the National Health System with an increased

financial support from long-term donors.

State of Play: In areas of South and Center not impacted by the conflict, the strategy is

based on the transition of responsibility from humanitarian NGOs towards local health

authorities, for Nutrition screening, referral and treatment. This should be achieved in

2020, allowing their autonomization and a potential lighter support by development

actors.

17

PASANAD BF/FED/038-075 “Programme d’appui a la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle, a

l’agriculture durable et a la résilience au Burkina Faso”

18 “Contrat reforme sectorielle secteur SANAD (sécurité alimentaire, nutritionnelle et agriculture

durable), focus sur la filière rizicole et gouvernance à l’Office du Niger” as modified in September 2018

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- Health Nexus

Objective: Operationalise a controlled transition from Humanitarian to Development

funding in northern regions, which implies the redeployment of GoM local health

services, and avoid the disruption of services and loss of access to health.

State of Play: Following the crisis onset in 2012, humanitarian actors have substituted to

government services by supporting the functionality of primary and secondary health

services, including treatment of SAM, throughout Northern regions. DG ECHO has been

the major donor in that sector, supporting health & nutrition partners in nearly all health

districts of Northern regions.

Funds for H-D Nexus are insufficiently available to support basic services such as Health,

in areas where humanitarian actors need to disengage such as the North of the country. As

a result, part of the humanitarian funding is still retained in less priority areas instead of

being redirected to more acute and urgent needs. DG ECHO is determined to continue its

advocacy for the operationalisation of a more robust and effective H-D Nexus. Several

possibilities are being explored, notably with EUTF and the Alliance Sahel. The next

DEVCO programming cycle (Multi Financial Framework) due to start in 2020 represents

one of the main opportunities to secure funding towards basic social services, necessary

precondition for an effective H-D Nexus.

- Food Assistance Nexus

Objectives: a) Establish a clear Division of Labour between humanitarian funding

focusing on acute needs due to unexpected shocks (severe climatic conditions, conflicts)

and development funding responding to the “normal” yearly food insecurity caseload

during lean seasons (about 400,000 to 500,000 people each year) associated to a resilience

based approach to lower this caseload; b) Strengthen the complementarity between food

assistance and longer term programs such as social safety nets;

State of Play: Most of the development funding (EUD, Belgium, Canada) goes to sectoral

budget support to the Commissariat à la Sécurité Alimentaire (CSA), which has great

challenges to respond to the needs of those affected regularly by the lean season. Safety

nets and lean season assistance schemes run in parallel with little complementarity.

- Education Nexus

Objective: Ensure that targeted children with Education in Emergency projects are

reinserted into formal education, either in their place of origin or where they would

eventually resettle.

State of Play: There is currently a systematic, yet not always successful, attempt to

(re)integrate children into formal education system after taking them in charge through

temporary education options. However, to make this link more successful, important

reforms of GoM policies are needed, along with significant development funds

(infrastructures, equipment, HR…). An ECHO contribution to the reinsertion efforts

could be considered, after having provided temporary education opportunities. Thematic

and geographical convergence with development / rehabilitation is sought to allow this

transition.

- Forced displacement Nexus

Objective: Governments with the support of long-term donors are increasingly funding

the self-reliance of forcibly displaced populations as soon as stabilized.

State of Play: Currently, resources are not sufficiently available to provide medium-term

assistance to displaced populations in most sectors, beyond RRM-like emergency

assistance. The sectors where some level of follow-up is provided are food assistance and,

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more recently health and education. Health assistance is limited to where ECHO partners

are operational and education assistance is limited so far to Mopti urban area, with few

exceptions for both latter sectors.

Mauritania: with food security, rule of law and health as focal sectors of EU cooperation

under the 11th

EDF, the focus has been turning to security, migration, economic

growth/job creation; with gender equality as transversal component. The 11th

EDF has

mobilised EUR 160M over 7 years (2014-2020) with actions focused on health in the last

year of implementation. Outside the EDF, the EU has a Budget support programme for

the Nexus security-resilience-development (25 MEUR through the EUTF); 3.4 MEUR on

CSO and EIDHR budget lines; EU contributions to the Global Climate Change Alliance

Plus and blending/EIP.

Niger: the total EU support amounts to more than 1B€ over the period 2014-2020

(including thematic budget lines, blending, EUTF, EIB, etc.). Part of it was implemented

through the 11th

NIP (over EUR 700M over the period 2014-2020 including B envelope),

80% of which will be implemented through budget support. The focal sectors are Food

security, resilience and basic social services, but gradually a refocus on (i) resilient

economy, new economic opportunities, job creation, private sector development, and

sustainable and inclusive growth, (ii) reinforcing state capacities for good governance and

to develop Niger’s human capital and ensure resilience, and (iii) migration & security.

Stronger collaboration and complementarity amongst funding instruments would make it

possible to better address acute and chronic food and nutrition vulnerability. As an

example, in Niger, DG ECHO and DG DEVCO19

have developed a joint approach to

address the needs of the population affected by the conflict in Diffa aiming at improving

complementarities and enhancing their response over 36 months, whilst keeping sufficient

flexibility to address evolving needs. The EU will provide immediate humanitarian

assistance for the most vulnerable populations affected by conflict, as well as for early

recovery and restoration of basic services in settlement and return areas. Furthermore, it

will stimulate employment and livelihood opportunities, with a focus on women, young

people and vulnerable households.

- Nutrition Nexus

Objective: Secure an increased investment of Development partners towards the National

Nutrition Action Plan adopted in 2018, including the integration of SAM treatment

activities within national health system. This would allow ECHO to gradually refocus its

nutritional response on emergency preparedness and crisis response.

State of Play: 50% of the Nutrition action plan budget is dedicated to SAM treatment and

80% of the current funding comes from emergency donors. Knowing the challenge of

institutionalization / ownership by the government, DG ECHO partners have been

engaged for 4 years in strategies for the gradual transfer of activity packages to health

authorities, communities and local authorities. These strategies have had some success,

but bottlenecks remains in the full appropriation of services supported by NGOs,

including in the provision of therapeutic inputs and the provision of sufficient qualified

personnel.

As part of the State and Resilience Building Contract EUD has included a specific

indicator for the management of malnutrition and the integration of a line dedicated to

acute malnutrition treatment in the national budget. This indicator includes a) in 2019: the

19

Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development

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development of a “roadmap for the management of acute malnutrition by the state and

partners"; b) in 2020: the adoption by the authorities of the roadmap and a of budget line

for the financing of the management of acute malnutrition; c) in 2021: the execution on

the budget line. This offers an opportunity to transfer progressively the responsibility of

acute malnutrition treatment to the government counterpart. DG DEVCO and DG ECHO

are also jointly contributing to build up a national food and nutrition social protection

system.

The amount remains modest (7'500'000 Euros over 3 years) but must serve as a catalyst

for other funding and for a stronger commitment of development actors in this sector.

- Food Assistance Nexus

With regards to food assistance DG ECHO's Humanitarian-Development Transition

Strategy is based on DG DEVCO’s budget support of EUR 243M for the period of 2016-

2020 to the SANAD (Food & Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture) sector for

an annual increase in the number of people covered by the State to meet the seasonal food

insecurity.

Objective: Continuous improvement of the Government early warning and context

analyses tools; increased involvement of the State and its long term development partners

in the response to seasonal food insecurity; Scaling up and technical improvement

(quality of the assessment and targeting, shock responsiveness) of Social Safety nets

Improve post RRM and recovery program and interventions (continuum RRM,

humanitarian response and middle/long terms intervention); With regard to food aid,

ECHO's role in the Nexus agenda is to support the State in the implementation of the 3N

Initiative Action Plan, in particular through its following strategic programs. This would

allow ECHO to refocus on acute food crisis shocks if the Government response capacity

is overwhelmed

State of Play: Niger has a long experience of food crises. This experience led the country

to set up the mechanism “Dispositif National de Prévention et de Gestion des Crises

Alimentaires” (DNPGCA). Every year, DNPGCA develops and implements a ‘Plan

National de Soutien aux Personnes Vulnérables à l’Insécurité Alimentaire et

Nutritionnelle’ which includes a diversified range of actions (vulnerability survey,

targeting of priority areas, subsidized sales, CFW, unconditional cash transfer, General

Food Distribution, etc.). The Plan also includes the management of acute malnutrition but

this component remains poorly addressed (in terms of prioritization by national

institutions and support by development donors). DEVCO supports DNPGCA to increase

the response to the seasonal food insecurity (target 100'000 households in 2020). In 2018,

substantial allocations to the CCA (Cellule Crise Alimentaire) allowed a satisfactory

response but in 2019, this positive trend has been hampered by the priorities given to

security and sufficient resources are still not mobilized to ensure proper implementation

of the planned assistance. Quantitatively, the part of the overall response provided by DG

ECHO and its partners to the seasonal needs has reduced from 20 % to 10 %.

A “Cellule Filets Sociaux” within the DNPGCA has been set up in 2017 aiming at

coordinating the social safety nets schemes related to food and nutritional security.

Forced displacement Nexus

Objective: Governments with the support of Long-term donors are increasingly funding

the self-reliance of forcibly displaced populations as soon as stabilized

Year: 2020

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State of Play: Several partners should strengthen the demonstration that their intervention

contributes to the Nexus approach. Many (ACF / resilac, IRC / AFD, ACTED / EU, SNU,

etc.) have mobilized longer-term instruments (Resilac, AFD) to improve the living

conditions of populations affected by conflict in a more sustainable way.

The EU financial contribution must serve as a catalyst for other funding and for a stronger

commitment of development actors in these sectors. The Instrument contributing to

Stability and Peace (IcSP, managed by FPI) is engaged across West Africa and the Sahel

region under its short-term component to contribute to the stability of the region. The

IcSP also supports interventions aiming at encouraging inter-community dialogue, social

cohesion and conflict prevention, including along migratory roads. The IcSP is also active

in Capacity Building for Security and Development’s (CBSD) projects in Mali, Burkina

Faso and soon in Niger. In Niger, it already operates in support to local authorities in

countering violent non state actors and threats; in confidence-building and strengthening

security capabilities measures. The IcSP is also supporting a project across the borders

areas of Burkina Faso, Mali (North) and Niger (Diffa region) to reinforce the resilience of

population and build their trust towards security forces.

The EU (DEVCO) is supporting the Sahel Alliance20

with a portfolio of almost EUR 12

billion over 7 years, set up to coordinate EU and Member States development assistance

in the region. Among its six priority areas it has the support for return of basic

services/decentralisation, for example through the “Programme Développement

d’Urgence” (EUTF) in conflict affected areas to build resilience of displaced and affected

population. DEVCO is also engaged in a number of projects in the field of security

cooperation and border management in the area.

Joint analysis and close dialogue are required to enhance coordination with actions

funded under other EU instruments, including the EDF, the IcSP long-term and CSDP

missions, such as EUCAP Sahel Niger and EUCAP Sahel Mali. Specific dialogue and

advocacy measures should be taken to ensure the respect of humanitarian principles

within the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus and CivMil frameworks.

5.2 Exit scenarios

All the humanitarian interventions should – when and where feasible – contribute to

strengthening the resilience of communities affected by shocks as well as supporting the

recovery processes. To this aim DG ECHO and its partners will engage with the relevant

national authorities and regional organisations, both at technical and policy levels. DG

ECHO will continue addressing excessive child mortality in Western Africa, bearing in

mind that sustainable reduction of acute malnutrition and food insecurity can only be

achieved through commitment of relevant national and international actors to implement

prevention and treatment interventions at scale.

DG ECHO is concerned about the growing gap between the limited humanitarian funds

available and the limited capacities of governments to respond to the needs of their

vulnerable populations. Slow progress in LRRD/Humanitarian-Development Nexus is

also a matter of concern and should be addressed at different levels. DG ECHO and its

partners will continue to advocate and invest in capacity development for nutrition

screening and treatment. DG ECHO will also promote the most efficient prevention

interventions.

20

France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Denmark, EU, UNDP,

the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Bank.

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In conflict-affected areas and fragile countries, the conditions to reduce humanitarian

presence are not yet met. Close collaboration with DG DEVCO, the EEAS and other

humanitarian and development donors is still necessary in all countries, especially when

humanitarian support is limited, when needs persist and remain largely uncovered.

In order to reduce the dependency of refugees, IDPs and returnees on humanitarian aid,

DG ECHO will advocate for opportunities for LRRD/ Humanitarian-Development Nexus.

DG ECHO will also seek longer-term commitments from development donors to fund

programmes for self-reliance and durable solutions in protracted situations (vocational

training, livelihoods support, basic services provision and education). All targeted

Disaster Risk Reduction interventions will contain a roadmap determining transition from

humanitarian to developmental and governmental interventions.

Electronically signed on 29/06/2020 15:09 (UTC+02) in accordance with article 4.2 (Validity of electronic documents) of Commission Decision 2004/563