Burkina Faso named most neglected crisis for second year in a row | CNN (2024)

Burkina Faso named most neglected crisis for second year in a row | CNN (1)

Hundreds of civilians have already been killed in attacks across the country this year.

CNN

Burkina Faso has been named the world’s most neglected displacement crisis by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) for the second year.

In itsannual report, released Monday, the NRC said the West African country saw a record-high 707,000 new displacements in 2023, driven by escalating violence and a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Nine out of the 10 most neglected crises outlined in the report were in Africa, with Cameroon, Central African Republic, Mali, and Niger holding the second to fifth positions respectively.

The NRC said in apress release Mondayits criteria for neglected displacement crises are: “lack of humanitarian funding, lack of media attention, and a lack of international political and diplomatic initiatives compared to the number of people in need.”

The NCR report said 2023 saw a record-breaking shortfall in aid budgets of around $32 billion, leaving more than half of humanitarian needs worldwide unmet.

Neglect now ‘the new normal’

The report said media coverage of the displacement crisis in Burkina Faso and international political engagement with the crisis were “negligible” in 2023, adding that only 37% of requested humanitarian funding had been received by the country, leaving a significant gap in aid.

“The utter neglect of displaced people has become the new normal,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of NRC.

“The local political and military elites disregard the suffering they cause, and the world is neither shocked nor compelled to act by stories of desperation and record-breaking statistics. We need a global reboot of solidarity and a refocus on where needs are greatest.”

Rights groups have previously accused the military in junta-ruled Burkina Faso of attacking and killing civilians suspected of collaborating with militants in retaliatory operations. Sophie Garcia/AP Related article Burkina Faso army executed over 220 villagers in February, HRW says

The report added that media coverage in Burkina Faso also declined as “access became more difficult for both journalists and humanitarian organisations.”

Burkina Faso is currently under military rule after a junta staged a coup d’état in July 2022. Its junta, headed by acting president Captain Ibrahim Traore, has prioritized security due to the multiple lives claimed by attacks.

But in April this year, a Human Rights Watch(HRW) report foundthat more than 200 people were killed by the country’s military in a campaign against civilians accused of collaborating with armed groups, alleging these could amount to war crimes.

Burkina Faso said it “firmly rejects and condemns such unfounded accusations,” in agovernment press release.

The country’smedia regulatory body, the Superior Council for Communication, announced in the following days it was temporarily suspending broadcasting and access to websites of some western news organizations including the FrenchTV5 Monde and Le Monde, the Guardian,as well as BBC Africa and VOA.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remained one of the most neglected crises for the eighth consecutive year, with around 6.9 million people displaced by the end of 2023, mainly in the eastern provinces, the report said.

A lack of aid forced people to resort to negative coping mechanisms, including exchanging sexual favors for food, money, and other survival needs, the report stated.

Sudan came in at number ten. Although the war which broke out in April last year has resulted in a death toll in the tens of thousands, more than eight million people internally displaced and nearly 25 million people in need of aid, the NRC remarked the crisis has been “grossly neglected.”

Recurrent attacks

Violence-related deaths in Burkina Faso doubled in 2023, according to the NRC. The country faces recurrent attacks often blamed on “terrorists.”

In February last year, the murder of two Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) aid workers led the organization to suspend activities in the region. By the end of the year, up to two million people were trapped in 36 blockaded towns, with over 40,000 facing catastrophic food insecurity, according to the report.

A displaced mother in northern Burkina Faso, Asseta, shared her struggle with NRC researchers: “When we have nothing to cook, I pick leaves and boil them in water,” she said, as quoted in the organization’s release.


Egeland emphasized the growing difficulty in reaching those in need due to dangerous roads and the prohibitively expensive minimal air services.

Burkina Faso's junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traore (C) seized power in September 2022 after a military coup. Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images Related article Burkina Fasoextends military rule for five years

“Donors and humanitarians must prioritize areas that are out-of-sight to ensure they do not become out-of-mind,” he urged.

The NRC says around 6.3 million people will need humanitarian assistance in 2024, with over two million remaining internally displaced.

Hundreds of civilians have already been killed in attacks this year, including around 170 in three villages in March, and approximately 30 in separate mosque and church attacks in February.

The NRC’s report noted that many neglected crises are interconnected, with ripple effects beyond borders affecting neighboring countries and sometimes causing broader regional impacts.

Competition over resources between refugees and local communities, driven by a lack of funds, can also cause tension.

Burkina Faso named most neglected crisis for second year in a row | CNN (2024)

FAQs

Burkina Faso named most neglected crisis for second year in a row | CNN? ›

For the second year in a row, Burkina Faso is at the top of the list due to facing a 61% increase in internal displacement numbers, from 438,000 in 2022 to 707,000 in 2023, as well as refugee and asylum seekers numbers increasing from 60,000 to 150,000 between December 2022 and 2023, according to UNHCR.

Is Burkina Faso named most neglected crisis for second year in a row? ›

For the second year in a row Burkina Faso is the world's most neglected displacement crisis, according to a new report from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The normalisation of neglect is exacerbating needs and deepening despair.

What is the biggest problem in Burkina Faso? ›

Over 40% of people in Burkina Faso live below the poverty line. The escalation of conflicts, rising insecurity and increasing climate vulnerability are significantly affecting the limited economic prospects that still exist.

What is Burkina Faso suffering from? ›

Located in Western Africa within the Sahel region, the country grapples with a multidimensional crisis driven by armed conflict, political instability, widespread poverty, and climate change. Over 40 percent of the population live below the national poverty line, while social protection coverage is limited.

What does Burkina Faso lack? ›

Burkina Faso is a low-income Sahelian country with limited natural resources. Its economy is based on agriculture and mining, particularly gold. More than 40% of the population lives below the national poverty line.

Why is Burkina Faso in debt? ›

High energy subsidies in 2022 (4.9 percent of GDP) and military and security-related expenditures (4.6 percent of GDP in 2022, up from 3.4 percent in 2021) resulted in a substantial widening of the fiscal deficit to 10.3 percent in 2022, from 7.5 percent in 2021; as a result, total public debt projections remain ...

How much is Burkina Faso in debt? ›

The economy of Burkina Faso is offically reported as having a debt-to-GDP ratio of 59.3%, indicating Burkina Faso's debt level is $12 Billion. World Economics has reassessed Burkina Faso's debt levels and estimates them to be lower than official figures suggest.

Who is helping Burkina Faso? ›

USAID supports Burkina Faso's efforts to confront development challenges, including enhancing the performance of agricultural markets and production, improving maternal and child health, climate change adaptation, improving governance and respect for human rights, reducing the burden of malaria, and responding to ...

What Burkina Faso is known for? ›

Burkina Faso is a leader in African art and culture and hosts the largest craft market in Africa.

Is Burkina Faso a poor or rich country? ›

A poor country even by West African standards, landlocked Burkina Faso has suffered from recurring droughts and military coups. A former French colony, it gained independence as Upper Volta in 1960.

What is the Burkina Faso crisis? ›

With a record-high 707,000 new displacements within the country's borders, the humanitarian crisis in Burkina Faso continued unabated in 2023, while hundreds of thousands of people were cut off from aid. The number of people killed in violence doubled last year, with over 8,400 deaths.

What is the forgotten crisis in Burkina Faso? ›

Hundreds of thousands of people have been cut off from humanitarian aid as up to two million civilians are trapped in around 36 blockaded towns across the country. These blockades have disrupted access to critical services and halted trade and farming, destroying livelihoods.

What is the cause of poverty in Burkina Faso? ›

Rapid population growth, gender inequality, and low levels of educational attainment contribute to food insecurity and poverty in Burkina Faso.

What is the main source of income in Burkina Faso? ›

The economy of Burkina Faso is based primarily on subsistence farming and livestock raising.

What is the main product of Burkina Faso? ›

Cotton is Burkina Faso's main agricultural export.

What is the average income in Burkina Faso? ›

Burkina Faso is a low-income country with a gross national income per capita of $1,755 in international dollars (PPP) and $670 in USD in 2018. The economy is heavily reliant on agriculture, which produced 35 % of GDP and employs around 80% of its population.

Is Burkina Faso one of the poorest countries? ›

Despite the adoption of a number of economic and social policies, Burkina Faso remains one of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), with a large proportion of its population still living in poverty and inequality. In 2021, real GDP per capita was USD 740 per year, compared with an average of USD 1,053 for LDCs.

Is Burkina Faso a least developed country? ›

Least Developed Country Category: Burkina Faso Profile | Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Why not to go to Burkina Faso? ›

The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens DO NOT TRAVEL to Burkina Faso due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.

What is the new name of Burkina Faso? ›

Burkina Faso (since 1984) On 2 August 1984, on Sankara's initiative, the country's name changed from "Upper Volta" to "Burkina Faso", or land of the honest men; (the literal translation is land of the upright men). The presidential decree was confirmed by the National Assembly on 4 August 1984.

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