19 Oct 2012

GENEVA / MALI

The World Food Programme (WFP) today reported that a recent survey found living conditions had deteriorated "terribly" in the North of Mali where extremist groups have taken control. The agency says overall 4.6 million people in the country are at risk of food insecurity. CH UNTV

Posted at: October 19, 2012 4:31 pm

Duration: 01:09

Available in: SD

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STORY: GENEVA / MALI 
TRT: 1.09
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: 19 OCTOBER 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1.	Wide shot, Palais des Nations

19 OCTOBER 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2.	Med shot, journalists
3. 	SOUNDBITE (French) Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, World Food Programme (WFP):
"The first conclusions of this report show that the living conditions have deteriorated terribly in the North, in Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal, with prices climbing, much higher prices than normal, a reduction of living standards against five years ago, a fall in purchasing power in all household sectors."
4. Med shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (French) Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, World Food Programme (WFP):
"WFP has so far delivered food aid to more than a million people in Mali as part of its emergency operation, but this assistance was delivered despite the challenges we have, the difficulties we have with a security situation that remains very fluid in the country, very changeable."
5. Wide shot, press room

STORYLINE:

The World Food Programme (WFP) today (19 October) reported that a recent survey found living conditions had deteriorated "terribly" in the North of Mali where extremist groups have taken control.

At a press briefing in Geneva, WFP spokesperson Elisabeth Byrs reported on an October survey focusing on the situation of displaced populations and host families in the eight regions of Mali.

Preliminary findings of this joint WFP/Early Warning System survey confirmed the deterioration of living conditions in the North (Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal), with prices much higher than the last five-year average, reduction of income and purchasing power across sectors and livelihoods, low consumption scores and adoption of negative coping mechanisms such as borrowing food and cash, reduction of meals, and sale of goods.

According to WFP, 4.6 million people are at risk of food insecurity and 560,000 children under the age of five are at risk of acute malnutrition in Mali.

Byrs said WFP had reached more than one million people under the emergency response to the crisis in Mali. However, the political and security situation remained volatile.

Mali, currently led by Interim President Dioncounda Traoré, has been dealing with a range of security, political and humanitarian problems since the start of the year. Fighting between Government forces and Tuareg rebels broke out in the country's north in January. Since then, radical Islamists have seized control of the north, where they have imposed an extremist version of Muslim Sharia law as well as restrictions that target women in particular.

One week ago the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution that holds out the possibility of endorsing, within 45 days, an international military force to restore the unity of the West African nation.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson today told a high-level meeting in Mali's capital Bamako that the international community must help the Malian authorities put in place a credible political process that addresses the underlying causes of the country's crisis and helps them with any military operations which may be needed to return parts of the country to Government control – while also ensuring that military action "does not exacerbate existing tensions or worsen an already fragile humanitarian situation."