Burkina Faso: A Neglected Displacement Crisis

Imagine a crisis so severe, it’s been deemed the world’s most ignored. For the second year running, Burkina Faso holds this unenviable title. Why is this West African nation, facing record-high displacement and a deepening humanitarian emergency, being overlooked?

Burkina Faso has been designated the world’s most ignored displacement crisis by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) for the second consecutive year. The West African nation saw a record-high 707,000 new displacements in 2023 due to increasing violence and a deepening humanitarian emergency. This highlights the urgent need for increased attention and humanitarian aid. According to ReliefWeb, as of October 2023, 2 million people are internally displaced in Burkina Faso (https://reliefweb.int/report/burkina-faso/burkina-faso-humanitarian-snapshot-october-2023). Over 6.3 million people need humanitarian assistance, with significant food insecurity affecting a large portion of the population. [Source needed]

Scale of the Crisis

It’s not just Burkina Faso. Nine of the top 10 most disregarded crises occurred in Africa, with Cameroon, Central African Republic, Mali, and Niger occupying the second to fifth places. This underscores the widespread nature of displacement crises across the continent. The Sahel region, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, faces a deteriorating humanitarian situation due to conflict, displacement, and food insecurity (https://reliefweb.int/report/burkina-faso/sahel-humanitarian-situation-burkina-faso-mali-and-niger-flash-update-no-10). Access to affected populations remains a major challenge for humanitarian organizations.

Think about the logistical challenges: How do you deliver aid when access is limited? What are the long-term implications for these regions?

Factors Contributing to Neglect

What makes a crisis “neglected”? The NRC’s metrics encompass insufficiency in humanitarian funding, lack of media coverage, and absence of international political and diplomatic efforts. The study also disclosed an all-time high deficit in aid budgets of about $32 billion, leading to over half of global humanitarian necessities going unaddressed. Coverage of Burkina Faso’s displacement crisis in the media and international political involvement in the crisis were deemed “minimal” in 2023, with only 37% of requested humanitarian aid received by the country. [Source needed] The European Commission reports that Burkina Faso faces a major humanitarian crisis due to conflict, displacement, and food insecurity, with the EU providing humanitarian assistance (https://reliefweb.int/report/burkina-faso/echo-factsheet-burkina-faso-11-june-2024).

Is it possible to break this cycle of neglect?

Consequences of Neglect

The consequences of neglecting displacement crises are far-reaching and devastating. Beyond the immediate suffering of those forced to flee their homes, prolonged displacement can lead to food insecurity, increased vulnerability to disease, and heightened risks of violence and exploitation. Children are particularly affected, facing disruptions to their education and increased risks of child labor and recruitment into armed groups. The lack of international attention and funding exacerbates these challenges, hindering efforts to provide essential services like shelter, clean water, and healthcare to displaced populations. Furthermore, the failure to address the root causes of displacement, such as conflict and climate change, perpetuates a cycle of crisis and instability.

Burkina Faso’s Specific Challenges

Burkina Faso’s situation is particularly dire due to a complex interplay of factors, including escalating jihadist violence, inter-communal tensions, and the impacts of climate change. The country’s limited resources are further strained by the presence of internally displaced persons (IDPs), making it difficult to provide adequate assistance. The international community’s insufficient response not only fails to alleviate the immediate suffering but also undermines long-term stability and development prospects in the region. Increased humanitarian funding, coupled with diplomatic efforts to address the underlying causes of the conflict, are urgently needed to prevent further deterioration of the situation in Burkina Faso and other neglected crisis zones. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) persisted as one of the most disregarded crises for the eighth consecutive year, with roughly 6.9 million individuals displaced by the conclusion of 2023. [Source needed] The NRC urged contributors and humanitarians to prioritize overlooked regions to prevent them from fading from memory. [Source needed]

What can be done? The NRC urges contributors and humanitarians to prioritize overlooked regions. Consider supporting organizations working on the ground in Burkina Faso and advocating for increased media coverage and political attention. The time to act is now. Don’t let Burkina Faso fade from memory. Share this article to raise awareness about this critical situation.