There are fears a further influx could compound difficulties in a region of Niger already badly affected by food shortages
DAKAR (AlertNet) - Nearly 10,000 people have fled Mali to seek refuge in Niger after fighting between the Malian army and armed groups in the north, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says.
Most of the refugees have settled across the border in the near-desert region of Tillabery, one of the areas worst affected by food shortages in Niger which faces a looming hunger crisis.
The ICRC said the refugees were living in very difficult conditions as only a few were able to find shelter with host families in villages.
“Many of the displaced people have erected makeshift camps on the outskirts of villages,” said Juerg Eglin, the head of the ICRC regional office covering Niger and Mali.
The ICRC is preparing to distribute food and other items such as tarpaulins, blankets and mats.
Fighting erupted in northern Mali last month between the Malian army and Tuareg rebels. Tuareg nomads, who have fought several rebellions for a sovereign homeland in the Sahara desert, are believed to have received weapons and men in the aftermath of Libya's war.
There are fears that a further influx of people from Mali could worsen the hunger situation in Niger.
In the coming months, between 5 and 9 million people risk going hungry in the Sahel, a semi-arid region just below the Sahara, after erratic rainfall, drought and insect infestations led to poor harvests in countries including Niger, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Senegal.
Aid agencies fear the violence in northern Mali could hamper their ability to reach people in need of help.
There are also concerns that the instability in Mali and separate unrest in northern Nigeria could potentially spill over to stable countries hit by food shortages, thus adding to the security costs of the response.
“For the humanitarian community, of course if there’s more danger, not only will they wish to have fewer people on the ground but we will have to pay more money for protection rather than to help very needy people, especially children,” Kristalina Georgieva, the European Commissioner for humanitarian aid, told AlertNet recently.
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