OPERATIONAL UPDATE Mali September 2017 Mali continues to face a volatile Local populations face important Despite significant challenges, the security situation amid growing protection risks amid limited implementation of the Peace and threats of terrorism, criminality access to public services, Reconciliation Accord advances and intercommunity tensions in documentation, shelter, water, slowly in order to re-establish the northern and central regions. education and food security. peace and security in the region. KEY INDICATORS FUNDING (AS OF 30 SEPTEMBER 2017) 13 USD 41,007,532 Young refugees will receive DAFI tertiary education grant requested for Mali offered by the German Government in 2017-2018 Funded 7 % 28 3,068,942 New protection monitors to be deployed in relation with mixed migration flows in Mali 959 Birth certificates distributed to Mauritanian refugees in the Unfunded 93 % Kayes region since beginning of the year 37,938,590 POPULATION OF CONCERN IDP returnees 498 170 Malian refugees* 142 386 Returnees 60 373 IDPs 55 880 Refugees in Mali (mixed origin) 17 400 Asylum seekers (mixed origin) 482 Returned refugees visit UNHCR’s sub-office in Gao upon Figures as at August 31, 2017. return in Mali, in order to receive assistance for their most * Source: UNHCR. All other figures sourced from the Government of Mali. urgent needs. Photo ©: UNHCR Mali/A. Yacouba 2017 www.unhcr.org 1 OPERATIONAL UPDATE > MALI / September 2017 Update on Achievements Operational Context ■ The security situation in Mali remains volatile with threats of terrorism, criminality and intercommunity violence in the north and central regions impacting the protection environment for civilians and limiting humanitarian access. Violation of human rights continue to be recorded with local populations facing limited access to public services, documentation, water, education and food security. ■ The implementation of the Agreement for peace and reconciliation in Mali is slowly continuing to progress. On the 23rd September, the CMA and the Plateforme declared the ceasefire and stated their commitment to the implementation of the Agreement for Peace. On 19th September, the Governor of the region of Kidal Mohamed Ag Ichrach returned to Kidal to take up his position permanently after years of absence, generating optimism for the return of stability through the presence of National Authorities and security forces. The Governor stated his priorities would now be education, health and supplying healthy drinking water. On 5 September, the UN Security Council, at the request of the Malian authorities, adopted resolution 2,374 establishing a targeted sanctions regime on Mali. The resolution imposes a travel ban and assets freeze on individuals and entities engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of Mali. The 2015 Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali included in its article 54 language inviting the Security Council to adopt measures against those undermining the implementation of the Agreement and the pursuit of its objectives but so far the Council had not followed through on this threat of sanctions. ■ On 9th September, President Keita inaugurated the new HQ for the planned G5 Sahel force in Sevare, Mali. The force will be commanded by the Malian General Didier Dacko and should be 5,000 strong. It is meant to address the impact of terrorism and transnational organized crime, including through the conduct of cross-border joint military counter- terrorist operations. Regional HQs are also planned in N’Beiketial, Mauritania for the north eastern sector, Niamey, Niger for the central sector and Wour, Chad for the south west sector. ■ The need to uphold humanitarian principles remains of utmost importance to counter the shrinking of humanitarian space necessary to conduct life-saving activities. Incorporating protection mainstreaming principles and promoting a meaningful access, safety and dignity for humanitarian aid remains key to humanitarian actors. www.unhcr.org 2 OPERATIONAL UPDATE > MALI / September 2017 Achievements PROTECTION Protection Cluster ■ The humanitarian needs overview (HNO) process has continued in the country in September. The narrative part of the overview has been drafted by cluster members with contribution of the regions. Over 950.000 persons are considered as in need of protection by the cluster in Mali. The main identified protection needs relate to human rights, sexual and gender based violence, child protection and fight against landmines. ■ The protection cluster monthly meeting took place in Bamako on 6 September. The analysis of protection incidents in the north of Mali showed a decrease of 33 in comparison with last month. The need to secure protection monitors was highlighted, as cases of threats against them were reported, preventing them from visiting some villages. Advocacy notes for a safer access to the Koro circle and Kidal region were also requested. ■ On 20 September, an extraordinary meeting of the strategic consultative group of the protection cluster was held on the protection situation in the Mopti region, and in particular in the circles of Koro and the commune of Dialloubé. An advocacy note was drafted during the meeting to reinforce the protection environment in those areas. ■ On 29 September took place the civil-military coordination meeting in Gao. The deterioration security situation on the road axis in the regions of Gao, Kidal and Ménaka was on the agenda. In particular, the increase of rape reports against women while travelling on those roads was discussed. In response to this worrying trend, the protection cluster proposed a prevention strategy that was presented to participants to the meeting. ■ On 8 September, the protection cluster in Timbuktu were informed of local tensions in the community in Gargando. Members of the cluster requested the intervention of actors involved in social cohesion activities in the region to solve the issue. Achievements and Impact ■ Mixed migration: New partnership agreements have been signed between UNHCR and the NGOs ADES, AMSS, Stop Sahel and TSF for mixed migration activities in the regions of Bamako, Gao, Mopti and Timbuktu that are being implemented in the frame of the Central Mediterranean situation. 28 protection monitors are to be deployed in Bamako and the regions of Gao, Mopti and Timbuktu in locations likely to receive mixed migration flows. Contacts have been engaged with authorities and relevant stakeholders in order to get a better picture of mixed migration issues in Mali. In the www.unhcr.org 3 OPERATIONAL UPDATE > MALI / September 2017 Gao and Timbuktu regions, meetings were held with authorities, IOM and local associations in order to discuss possible cooperation on this issue. In September, mixed migration flows have been regularly reported by various stakeholders, some of them linked with protection incidents. In the Timbuktu region, where local association warned on the increased flow of migrant in transit in the region, consultations of all actors are ongoing to enable the préfet to set a response mechanism to mixed migration related issues and assess needs. UNHCR and IOM have been requested to conduct sensitization sessions on protection issues. ■ Social counselling: 9 urban refugees received guidance or were referred to partners by UNHCR. The main issues raised by refugees was the need for support to travel documents, support to income generating activities, education grants and health expenses. ■ SGBV: With the aim of reducing the risk of SGBV and improving the quality of response in Gao, Kayes, Mopti and Timbuktu regions, 66 sensitization sessions were carried out on the risks and consequences of SGBV, early marriage and the importance of girls’ education reaching at least 1,527 men and women from refugee returnee and local communities. ■ Social Cohesion: In the regions of Gao, Kidal, Menaka, Mopti and Timbuktu through the partners AMSS and Stop Sahel, 33 sensitization sessions on social cohesion reached 1,094 men and women from refugee returnee and local communities. ■ Documentation: In Kayes region, 314 birth certificates have been distributed to Mauritanian refugees through Stop Sahel. In total, since the beginning of the year, 959 birth certificates have been distributed out of the planned 2,659 for 2017. ■ Protection Monitoring: 60 protection incidents were collected and documented through UNHCR’s partner AMSS, during this month, mostly in the regions of Gao, Kidal, Mopti and Timbuktu. Most of the reported incidents relate to extortion, injuries and deaths. Since the beginning of the year, 666 protection incidents have been collected and documented (temporary figure, as of 30 September 2017). ■ Voluntary repatriation: o On 14 September the Tripartite Commission Mali-Niger-UNHCR on the voluntary return of Malian refugees in Niger took place in Bamako. The progress on the implementation of the work plan adopted at the 8th meeting of the Commission on 24 February 2017 in Niamey was assessed. o An information meeting was organized on 29 September with the 24 Centralafrican refugees who had expressed their will to return home, in order to inform them on the actual security situation in their area of origin and allow them to decide on an informed basis whether to go back, given the deteriorating security situation in the country. Following the meeting all 24 refugees confirmed their will to repatriate. The return process of those refugees has been initiated. www.unhcr.org 4 OPERATIONAL UPDATE > MALI / September