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Burundi + 4 more

Burundi: Humanitarian Response Plan 2017 - Mid-year update (January to July 2017)

Attachments

A. Situational review

Since October 2016, there has been no substantial changes at the political situation and the status quo is expected to continue in the coming months. On 17 February, the Government adopted a decree to review the constitution to allow unlimited presidential mandates. This was followed by President Nkurunziza announcing his intention to run for another mandate in the coming 2020 elections. Regional efforts to resolve the crisis through genuine, inclusive dialogue under the auspices of the East African Community (EAC) have yet to achieve a breakthrough. At the same time, a new Special Envoy, Mr. Kafando, and a new Resident Coordinator, Mr. Gary Conille, were appointed.

Socio-economic indicators deteriorated even further, as the Burundian franc continued its depreciation, prices of basic commodities reached a 140% increase, foreign exchange shortages are impacting the access to fuel (including of humanitarian partners and impacting their operational capacity) and the viability of private companies, inflation rates (estimated at 13.2% in July 2017 ) as well as taxes increases continued to be recorded, and as trade reaches record low levels, and employment opportunities shrunk further. Donors restrictions on direct budget support from the international community continue, which impacts the capacity of the government to provide access to basic services for its citizens. However, indirect and/or multilateral supports are, at some levels or through implementing partners, maintained.

There are currently more than 407,000 Burundian refugees mainly in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. In countries such as Tanzania and Uganda, the governments have revoked the refugee prima facie status for Burundian refugees as well as repatriation activities from Tanzania (an estimated 12,000 Burundians) back to their country are on-going. Additionally, tensions with neighboring countries such as Rwanda have not been eased.

This current political, economic and social context leads to a further deterioration of the humanitarian needs, in a context of extreme and chronic vulnerability levels across the Burundian population.
Recent and more systematic data collection corroborated the increase of humanitarian needs. The Integrated Food Security Classification Framework (IPC) conducted in April and August, Emergency Food Security Analysis (EFSA), multisector rapid assessment (MIRA), the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), and the expansion of the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) throughout the country improved the mapping of more accurate humanitarian needs.

During the reporting period, and since the joint launch of the HNO and HRP with the government, there has been considerable progress at the level of humanitarian access. The government of Burundi has collaborated with the humanitarian community in the identification of needs, planning and humanitarian response.

Apart from the launching of the Humanitarian Response Plan, access issues are being facilitated. The government has also engaged in discussions concerning a law regulating the work of International NGOs

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