Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator calls for urgent funding to assist the most vulnerable people in Chad

(N’Djamena/New York, 27 February 2018): At the end of her first visit to Chad, Assistant SecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ursula Mueller, called for urgent funding to respond to the humanitarian and protection needs of 4.4 million vulnerable people in the country, including refugees, returnees and internally displaced people and their host communities.

Ms. Mueller expressed the need for durable solutions to the crisis in the Lac region. “During my visit to displacement sites, I saw the difficult living conditions and lack of means displaced communities face. It is unacceptable that these men, women and children who have lost everything, their home, belonging, livelihood and very often family members, continue to live in fear and uncertainty”.

The crisis in the Lake Chad basin affects nearly 500,000 people in the Lac region of Chad including 137,000 displaced people, who are particularly vulnerable. The closure of the border with Nigeria from the beginning of the crisis in 2015 and the continued implementation of emergency measures have also affected the livelihoods of local populations already facing poor regional development, thus aggravating their vulnerability.

The Assistant Secretary-General voiced how moved she was by the solidarity of the host communities who are sharing the little they have with those who left everything behind. “It is essential to strengthen the livelihoods of these communities who are the first lifeline for those fleeing violence and insecurity.”

The crisis in the Lac region unfolds against a wider backdrop of recurrent food and malnutrition crises and entrenched poverty throughout Chad. Countrywide, close to 4 million people need emergency food assistance while over 200,000 children under five are at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition.

Funding for humanitarian operations has not kept pace with increased needs, especially in regions affected by displacement and food insecurity in the south and east of Chad. “To make sure no one is left behind, stronger donor support is required for Chad”, said Ms. Mueller. “The humanitarian appeal is seriously underfunded. In 2017, less than 45 per cent of the required funds were met at the national level, less than what was received in 2016. Further support remains necessary to help the most vulnerable people in need of emergency assistance and strengthened resilience. In addition, increased involvement of development actors and of the Government is paramount, to support and complement the efforts of the humanitarian community and help reinforce the resilience of affected populations”.

In 2018, Chad requires US $ 544 to respond to the needs of the 1.9 million people who are the most vulnerable in the country. To date, only 3.7 per cent have been met.

For further information, please contact:
In Chad: Mr. Abdoulaye Sawadogo, Deputy Head of Office, E-mail: sawadogoa@un.org, Cell: +235 68851005;
Ms. Naomi Frérotte, Public Information Officer (Chad), E-mail:frerotte@un.org, Cell: +23566901633
In Geneva: Ms. Vanessa Huguenin, Public Information Officer, E-mail: huguenin@un.org, cell: +41 792026844
In New York: Mr. Russell Geekie, Spokesperson/Chief of Media Relations Section a.i., E-mail: geekie@un.org, Cell: ++1 917 331 0393

OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int