The United Nations' Humanitarian Assistance Efforts in Niger Amidst Challenges: Updates on Cash Aid, Food Distribution, and Support for Displaced Individuals

2023-08-15 14:54:46

The United Nations continues to provide humanitarian assistance to Niger despite challenges, including the ongoing rainy season, the secretary-general’s spokesman said on Monday.

Last week, 22,000 people from the Maradi region, in the center of the country, have thus received cash aid and food, said Stéphane Dujarric, during a press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York. “We and our humanitarian partners are also working with the de facto authorities to identify and prepare a site to accommodate approximately 13,000 people displaced in Ouro Gueladjo, in the Tillabéri region,” he added. “These people were displaced from several villages in this area in mid-July, before the current political crisis.”

The crisis in Niger has been going on for nearly three weeks. President Mohamed Bazoum has been detained since July 26 by soldiers in his presidential residence with his wife and son. On Friday, United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk expressed deep concern about the President’s “rapidly deteriorating conditions of detention”.

According to information received by the UN, President Bazoum and his family are deprived of electricity, and do not have access to drinking water or the necessary medicines. The day before, the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, had denounced the “deplorable” living conditions of the President of Niger. He had demanded his immediate release and reinstatement as head of state.

ECOWAS Mediation

The United Nations supports the mediation efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to find a solution to the crisis in Niger. On Thursday, following a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, ECOWAS ordered the immediate activation of its intervention force with a view to restoring constitutional order in Niger, while emphasizing that it still favored a peaceful resolution of the crisis.

According to press reports, the soldiers who are detaining President Bazoum announced, on Sunday August 13, their intention to prosecute him, in particular for high treason, accusing him of having spoken with foreign leaders. For its part, the African Union met on Monday to discuss the crisis in Niger.