West and Central Africa — Liptako Gourma Crisis Monthly Dashboard 12 (31 December 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 5,000 people in 2020 (as of 31 August) and triggered significant displacement of populations in the four affected countries. As of 31 December 2020, 1,658,684 individuals have been displaced, including 1,485,545 Internally Displaced Persons (90% of the displaced population) and 173,139 Refugees (10% of the displaced population). Sixty-four per cent of the displaced population (1,069,361 individuals) were located in Burkina Faso, while 20 per cent resided in Mali (324,843 individuals), 12 per cent in Niger (200,620 individuals) and 4 per cent in Mauritania (63,860 individuals).