SITUATION REPORT 23 - 29 July 2007

UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES Office for the Coordination of Bureau de Coordination des Humanitarian Affairs in Affaires Humanitaires au Burundi http://ochaonline.un.org/Burundi http://ochaonline.un.org/Burundi

ACTIVITIES AND UPDATES

Update on repatriation A slight increase in the number of Burundians returning from exile is being observed. Over the reporting period UNHCR registered a total of 1,042 returnees who arrived through the entry points of Kobero/ (321), Gisuru/ (362), Mabanda/ (359). Eleven Burundians arrived from Zambia through the airport. Since January 2007, UNHCR has registered 6,947 returnees from Tanzania. From the beginning of the repatriation process in April 2002, 345, 893 Burundians have returned from exile.

With regards to Congolese refugees, UNHCR transferred 410 refugees from Bujumbura to the Musasa/Ngozi province transit centre. From January to date, 5,106 DRC refugees have been transferred to the Gasorwe refugee camp and Musasa transit center.

Community-based association trained in agricultural techniques for banana and cassava On 25 July, FAO/Emergency Rehabilitation and Coordination unit (ERCU) organized a training seminar in the province of Ngozi for 22 heads of community-based associations in collaboration with the national NGO, Louvain Développement. The training focused on agricultural techniques for the cassava and banana plants, the rapid multiplication of cuttings and plants/seedlings as well as preventive methods to fight against crop diseases. Participants equally shared knowledge on how to recognize symptoms. Guidelines written in Kirundi and French were distributed to participants who were encouraged to use them for further training sessions with other community-based associations. This was the second round of trainings held by FAO/ERCU after the one which was organized for the same associations on rice and potato crops in November 2005. These training sessions are ongoing.

A consultant from FAO/ERCU training heads of community based associations in Ngozi

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SITUATION REPORT 23 - 29 July 2007

Assistance to Burundians expelled from Tanzania Over the reporting week, the government project for the reintegration of war-affected persons (PARESI) registered 640 persons (289 families) who arrived from Tanzania. 261 entered through Kobero/Muyinga province and 379 through Mishiha/. Since January 2007 till date, PARESI has recorded 5,163 expelled persons (2,671 families). A steady increase in the number of returnees is noticeable from April 2007 with 78% of persons who hail from Kirundo, Muyinga and Ngozi and 97% from Kirundo, Muyinga, Ngozi, Kayanza, Cankuzo, and Karuzi. The percentage of women stands at 77% and that of children up to six years old at 31%

Graph reflecting the trend of return for expelled persons from Tanzania since January.

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Graph from PARESI

Update on food aid distribution Last week, WFP distributed 334 MT of food aid to 18,071 beneficiaries nationwide. This assistance was mostly delivered within the food for work programme to support populations towards attaining sustainable development. Besides, WFP intends to monitor cases of sexual abuse and exploitation which have been highlighted subsequent to food aid distributions. To this end, WFP will reinforce its capacity and that of implementing partners in order to prevent and tackle cases of abuse which may occur within this sector. With the financial support of Sweden for 6 months, and in collaboration with local authorities and partners, WFP will undertake community sensitization campaigns on the importance of reporting cases of sexual abuse and exploitation.

Security So far, the withdrawal of Palipehutu-FNL delegates from the Joint Mechanism for the Verification and Monitoring of the ceasefire agreement with the Government of Burundi has not had any humanitarian consequences of concern. Their presence in the provinces of Bujumbura Rural, Bubanza and Cibitoke has not hindered humanitarian access to these regions.

Coordination On 25 July, PARESI organised a meeting with partners involved in providing assistance to Burundians expelled from Tanzania in Muyinga province. Participants discussed results of monitoring exercises in Kinazi/Muyinga province and Munzenze/Cankuzo province transit sites.

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SITUATION REPORT 23 - 29 July 2007

Unfortunately, it was noticed that fraudulent cases had increased. In order to address this problem, participants agreed to organize a cross border meeting between administrative authorities from the provinces of Muyinga and Cankuzo and their Tanzanian counterparts. This meeting is currently being prepared. It was recommended that PARESI staff should resume registration activities at entry points. No major problems were raised concerning Kinazi transit site unlike the Munzenze transit site where there is a water shortage problem. There are seventy three persons without addresses in the temporary site of Kigamba/Cankuzo province

The Food for Work programme being run by WFP has started in the Songore/Ngozi province where persons without addresses are temporarily being sheltered. The latter will soon be relocated to a reinstallation site which is being prepared in Muyinga province.

Latest developments On 30 July, UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Health launched a three-day workshop on the coordination and orientation of nutritional assistance during the post conflict period. The workshop was aimed at seeking ways of reducing morbidity and mortality caused by malnutrition. It is worth noting that figures of malnourished children in Burundi are concerning. According to a 2005 national nutritional survey conducted by the Ministry of health in collaboration with UNICEF and WFP, 7% of under five children suffer from acute malnutrition and 39% of children have less than average weight. By the end of the workshop, participants were expected to have reached a consensus on a kit for nutritional interventions during the development phase and some guidelines on the management of acute malnutrition. They equally shared information on main activities being implemented in each province, and the evolution of the nutritional situation both at provincial and national levels.

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