The United Nations System (UNS) and the government are flying to the aid of the displaced populations of Atacora, through humanitarian assistance. The ceremony of handing over said assistance mobilized in the communes of Tanguiéta and Matéri, Friday September 22, not only the populations and non-governmental organizations but also a strong delegation of agencies of the United Nations System and the Ministry of the Interior and of Public Security, led by Alassane Séidou.
The United Nations System in Benin traveled with a government delegation to Tanguiéta and Matéri in Atacora, this Friday, September 22. This activity is part of responding to the needs of internally displaced people, refugees and host families in these municipalities. Humanitarian assistance consisting of dignity kits for women, school kits for children, essential household items for families, three tons of fertilizer to stimulate agricultural production and medical-surgical equipment to support health . All of this assistance, estimated at two million US dollars, meets the immediate needs of 9,348 people taking refuge in Atacora.
Salvator Niyonzima, resident coordinator of the United Nations System in Benin, highlights the synergy of actions between the different United Nations agencies, which synergy has favored the mobilization of this effective and targeted assistance. “The United Nations System and the government of Benin have worked hand in hand. We launched a joint mission to assess needs and plan the response. The mission highlighted crucial and urgent needs. In response, we put in place a package of around two million US dollars, or around one billion 231 million CFA francs, to help the displaced populations of Atacora,” explains Salvator Niyonzima. This assistance, for the United Nations System, has symbolic value, symbol of solidarity and proximity with vulnerable populations. “The action of the United Nations goes beyond humanitarian work to embrace development as a whole. We support Benin in its progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and also in the achievement of Page 2. We are in education, health, adaptation to climate change, inclusive economic growth, the fight against hunger, governance…” explains Salvator Niyonzima.
According to Alassane Séidou, Minister of the Interior and Public Security, the delivery of humanitarian assistance reflects the vitality of the synergy between the government and the United Nations System in the field of civil protection, protection refugees and respect for human rights. He indicates that faced with the increase and diversification of the needs of forced displaced persons and the families who receive them, the government requested the Snu in March 2023, which responded favorably. In a burst of international solidarity, recalls the minister, the government has welcomed the Burkinabè refugees who have come to Matéri since 2021, due to the generalized insecurity in their country. The Council of Ministers promptly released financial resources for their first treatment. The permanent secretariat responsible for refugees and stateless persons provided them with identity documents in a timely manner with the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Mini-community projects have been set up to facilitate their local integration, added Alassane Séidou.
“Cross-border displacements have continued and today concern several communes of Atacora and Alibori with increasingly numerous forced displaced populations, mainly coming from Burkina Faso and Togo. At the same time as it is making laudable efforts to combat the causes of this contemporary shock of forced displacement, the government remains attentive to the cry of distress of the forced displaced and host families,” the minister said. He underlines that there is financial assistance from the government to the most vulnerable refugees in the commune of Tanguiéta on the occasion of the celebration of World Refugee Day in 2023. Among the actions, Alassane Séidou will say, shows the monetary transfer, the first tranche of which was served from September 4 to 10, 2023 by the World Food Program (WFP) and the second tranche of which is being prepared. On behalf of the government, the Minister of the Interior and Public Security thanked the United Nations system for this important support in consolidating the resilience of displaced populations and host families.
He suggests to the prefect of Atacora and the director general of the National Civil Protection Agency (Anpc) to ensure that the distribution of this assistance is done in liaison with the United Nations System according to the principles of humanitarian assistance and in an approach of accountability. It encourages beneficiaries to make good use of it and to seize the opportunities for empowerment and local integration that Benin offers them to flourish.
Robert Wembo Kassa, mayor of Matéri, thanks the government and all United Nations agencies for the successful completion of this aid. “The people of Matéri ask me to tell you to convey to the Head of State that they are proud of the reforms implemented and are grateful to him,” informs the mayor of Matéri.