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North-East Nigeria: Humanitarian Situation Update - Progress on key activities from the 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan, October 2018 edition (Covering 1 through 30 September 2018)

Countries
Nigeria
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

In September and October 2018 Saifura Hussaini Ahmed Khorsa and Hauwa Mohammed Liman, midwives and aid workers with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), were executed by their captors[1]. The humanitarian workers had been abducted in Rann town, Borno State, on 1 March 2018 following a deadly attack by a Non-State Armed Group in which three aid workers were killed. A nurse with UNICEF, also abducted from Rann on 1 March 2018, is still being held by the Non-State Armed Group. This attack on the humanitarian community violates principled humanitarian response and will hamper much needed assistance to vulnerable populations in need.

The protection of aid workers and humanitarian assets is paramount. To date this year, six aid workers have been now killed. The execution of Ms. Hussaini and Ms. Liman has been widely condemned by the Government of Nigeria, the United Nations, Member States, the INGOs and many other partners and stakeholders. The United Nations urges parties to the conflict to enable the work of humanitarian workers, facilitate their access to people in need and afford them protection in line with International Humanitarian Law.

In September Germany, Nigeria, Norway and the United Nations hosted the High-Level Conference on the Lake Chad Region which brought together 27 nations, 24 regional and international organizations and representatives of national and international civil society. Participants convened to recommit to work together to address the humanitarian needs and build the resilience of the over 17 million people still affected by the regional crisis and to identify ways of strengthening the collective response. The conference noted the progress made since the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on scaling up humanitarian assistance, crisis prevention and stabilization, and development cooperation. In total, announcements of financial support, including multi-year, surpassed US$ 2.17 billion in grants in addition to US$ 467 million in concessional loans.

In an outcome statement, conference participants noted that principled humanitarian action is necessary to respond to urgent needs with life-saving assistance and will continue to be required in the short- and medium-term despite improvements. It was also emphasized that it is the responsibility of all parties to the armed conflict to protect civilians and ensure safe, timely and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need in accordance with international humanitarian law.

The 2019 Humanitarian Program Cycle (HPC) is underway. The second and third state-level Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) briefings were held in Damaturu, Yobe State and Maiduguri, Borno State, in September. As part of the HPC, the HNO supports humanitarian partners in developing a shared understanding of the impact and evolution of a crisis. The HNO presents a comprehensive analysis of the overall situation and associated needs and informs response planning. Its development is a shared responsibility among all humanitarian partners.

To alleviate the suffering of 6.1 million people in dire need of life-saving aid in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, the United Nations and partners appealed for $1.05 billion for 176 projects to be implemented by 60 humanitarian organisations. It is the sixth largest single-country appeal globally. As of 30 September, $583 million (55.6 per cent) of the funds have been received, according to the Financial Tracking Service (FTS).

[1] The reporting period for this HSU is September 2018. However the decision was taken to report both deaths simultaneously.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.