Burkina Faso has once again been designated the world’s most neglected displacement crisis by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). In its annual report released on Monday, the NRC highlighted that the West African nation experienced a record 707,000 new displacements in 2023 due to escalating violence and a deteriorating humanitarian situation.
The report underscored that nine of the ten most neglected crises were in Africa, with Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Mali, and Niger occupying the second to fifth positions respectively.
According to the NRC, the criteria for identifying neglected displacement crises include a lack of humanitarian funding, insufficient media attention, and a dearth of international political and diplomatic initiatives relative to the number of people in need.
In 2023, the global aid budget shortfall reached an unprecedented $32 billion, leaving more than half of worldwide humanitarian needs unmet. The NRC pointed out that media coverage and international political engagement with Burkina Faso’s crisis were negligible, with only 37% of requested humanitarian funding received, leaving a significant aid gap.
“The utter neglect of displaced people has become the new normal,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of NRC. “Local political and military elites disregard the suffering they cause, and the world is neither shocked nor compelled to act by stories of desperation and record-breaking statistics. We need a global reboot of solidarity and a refocus on where needs are greatest.”
Burkina Faso, currently under military rule following a coup in July 2022, has prioritized security amid ongoing attacks. However, a Human Rights Watch report in April accused the country’s military of killing over 200 civilians, allegations the government firmly denies.
The media regulatory body, the Superior Council for Communication, responded by suspending broadcasting and access to several Western news organizations, including French TV5 Monde, Le Monde, The Guardian, BBC Africa, and VOA.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) also remained one of the most neglected crises for the eighth consecutive year, with 6.9 million people displaced by the end of 2023, mainly in the eastern provinces. The report highlighted that the lack of aid forced many to resort to desperate measures, including exchanging sexual favors for food and other essentials.
Sudan was ranked tenth, with the war that began in April last year resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, over eight million internally displaced, and nearly 25 million people in need of aid. Despite the severe humanitarian needs, the NRC noted that the crisis has been “grossly neglected.”
Violence-related deaths in Burkina Faso doubled in 2023. The murder of two Medecins Sans Frontieres aid workers in February last year led the organization to suspend activities in the region. By the end of the year, around two million people were trapped in 36 blockaded towns, with over 40,000 facing catastrophic food insecurity.
A displaced mother in northern Burkina Faso shared her plight with NRC researchers, saying, “When we have nothing to cook, I pick leaves and boil them in water.”
Egeland emphasized the increasing difficulty in reaching those in need due to dangerous roads and the high cost of minimal air services. “Donors and humanitarians must prioritize areas that are out-of-sight to ensure they do not become out-of-mind,” he urged.
The NRC estimates that around 6.3 million people in Burkina Faso will need humanitarian assistance in 2024, with over two million remaining internally displaced. Hundreds of civilians have already been killed in attacks this year, including approximately 170 in three villages in March and about 30 in separate mosque and church attacks in February.
The report noted that many neglected crises are interconnected, with ripple effects extending beyond borders and sometimes causing broader regional impacts. Competition over resources between refugees and local communities, driven by a lack of funds, can also cause tension.
