For the second year in a row, Burkina Faso has been designated as the most neglected crisis.
In their yearly review, published on Monday, the NRC stated that Burkina Faso experienced a staggering 707,000 new displacements in 2023, mainly influenced by intensifying violence and a deteriorating humanitarian situation.
Out of the top 10 neglected displacement crises, nine were in Africa, with Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Mali, and Niger occupying positions two through five.
The NRC's standards for determining neglected displacement crises involve: "insufficient funding, minimal media attention, and a void of international political and diplomatic involvement relative to the number of affected individuals."
According to the NCR report, 2023 experienced a record-breaking shortfall in aid budgets totaling approximately $32 billion, resulting in over half of global humanitarian requirements remaining unmet.
Indifference Now 'The Norm'
The NRC's press release on Monday noted that coverage of the Burkina Faso displacement crisis in the media and international political involvement with the issue were "insignificant" in 2023. Additionally, only 37% of the requested funding had been granted to the country, resulting in a substantial deficit for aid.
Jan Egeland, the NRC's Secretary-General, commented: "The callous disregard for displaced individuals has become the norm."
"The local political and military authorities blatantly disregard the suffering they cause, and the world fails to react with horror or be moved by tales of desperation and record-breaking numbers," Egeland continued. "We require a worldwide revival of empathy and re-emphasis on where there is the greatest need."
The report also detailed a decline in media coverage in Burkina Faso as access became more difficult for both journalists and humanitarian organizations.
Burkina Faso is currently under military rule following a coup in July 2022, and its junta, led by acting president Captain Ibrahim Traore, has focused on security due to the high loss of life resulting from attacks. However, in April 2023, HRW reported that more than 200 people were killed by the country's military as part of their campaign against civilians allegedly collaborating with armed groups, potentially constituting war crimes.
Burkina Faso contested these accusations, declaring: "The government of Burkina Faso vehemently disclaims and condemns these unjustified accusations."
In response, the country's media regulatory entity, the Superior Council for Communication, temporarily suspended the broadcasting and access to websites of some western news outlets, including French TV5 Monde, Le Monde, the Guardian, BBC Africa, and VOA.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continued to be among the most disregarded crises for the eighth consecutive year, housing around 6.9 million displaced people by the end of 2023, primarily in the eastern provinces.
Due to a lack of support, people were compelled to employ detrimental coping mechanisms, such as trading sexual favors for food, money, and other survival necessities.
The tenth-ranked nation was Sudan. Although the war that started in April of the previous year resulted in a death toll in the tens of thousands, over eight million internally displaced individuals, and nearly 25 million people in need of aid, the NRC criticized the crisis for being "grossly neglected."
Persistent Threats
Violence-related casualties in Burkina Faso more than doubled in 2023, according to the NRC. The country has been targeted by frequent attacks commonly attributed to "terrorists."
In November 2021, the murder of two MSF aid workers caused the organization to halt operations in the area. By year's end, up to two million people were trapped in 36 blocked towns, with over 40,000 at risk of catastrophic food insecurity, according to the report.
Asseta, a displaced mother from northern Burkina Faso, told NRC researchers: "When there is nothing to cook, I harvest leaves and boil them in water."
Egeland underscored the increasing challenge of reaching those in need due to hazardous roads and sky-high minimal air services.
"Donors and humanitarians must prioritize locations that are obscured to prevent them from becoming forgotten," he suggested.
The NRC estimates that 6.3 million people will require humanitarian assistance in 2024, with more than two million remaining internally displaced.
Numerous neglected crises are interconnected, resulting in repercussions beyond borders and influencing neighboring countries and often causing broader regional implications.
Competition between refugees and local residents for resources, resulting from a scarcity of funds, may also lead to tensions.
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Burkina Faso, being one of the most neglected crisis regions in the world, is not receiving adequate funding or media attention, despite experiencing a significant increase in displacements and violence. This neglect is particularly concerning as nine out of the top 10 neglected displacement crises are located in Africa, including Burkina Faso.
