Today's top news: Malawi, Burundi

18 March 2023. Humanitarian partners distribute relief items at a site for the internally displaced people in Mulanje District, Malawi. OCHA/Jane Kiiru

Malawi

The UN and our partners have called for $70 million to assist over 1 million people affected by the passage of the Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

This new funding request comes on top of the $45 million called for earlier this year for the cholera response, bringing the revised Flash Appeal to nearly $116 million.

The appeal aims to support the Government-led responses to floods and cholera including with shelter, nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene support.

Since Tropical Cyclone Freddy hit the country last month, we and partners have reached over 370,000 people with humanitarian assistance including clean water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as food assistance to complement the Government’s relief efforts.

Burundi

Together with the Government, we launched an appeal for over US$194 million to reach more than 1.1 million people with humanitarian assistance this year.

Adequate funding will be critical to address the country’s challenges which include climate change, extreme weather-related events, internal displacement, and disease outbreaks such as cholera, measles and malaria.

Overall, an estimated one-and-a-half million people in Burundi will need humanitarian aid this year.

Last year’s humanitarian response plan was just over halfway funded. Despite that gap, more than 673,000 people received assistance – over 70 per cent of the initial target.