West and Central Africa — Liptako Gourma Crisis Monthly Dashboard 4 (17 April 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 17 April 2020, 1,299,167 individuals have been displaced, including 1,151,149 Internally Displaced Persons (89% of the displaced population) and 148,018 Refugees (11% of the displaced population). Sixty-six per cent of the affected population (859,496 individuals) were located in Burkina Faso, while 17 per cent resided in Mali (217,517 individuals), 13 per cent in Niger (163,164 individuals) and 5 per cent in Mauritania (58,990 individuals).