West and Central Africa — Liptako Gourma Crisis Monthly Dashboard 5 (18 May 2020)

The Central Sahel area, and in particular the Liptako Gourma region, which borders Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, is affected by a complex crisis involving growing competition over dwindling resources; climatic variability; demographic pressure; high levels of poverty; disaffection and a lack of livelihood opportunities; communal tensions; the absence of state institutions and basic services; and violence related to organized crime and Non-State Armed Groups. The crisis has led to the death of an estimated 4,000 people in 2019 alone and triggered significant displacement of populations in the three affected countries. As of 18 May 2020, 1,335,388 individuals have been displaced, including 1,183,774 Internally Displaced Persons (89% of the displaced population) and 151,614 Refugees (11% of the displaced population). Sixty-five per cent of the displaced population (869,280 individuals) were located in Burkina Faso, while 18 per cent resided in Mali (242,397 individuals), 12 per cent in Niger (163,267 individuals) and 5 per cent in Mauritania (60,445 individuals).