Zeinabou Maata, a Muslim from Mauritania, is one of 50 women serving on the frontlines of preventing the spread of violent extremism in her country, with UN support.
As the Sahel region “stares down a horrendous food crisis”, the UN emergency food relief chief warned on Wednesday that the number of people on the brink of starvation has “increased almost tenfold” over the past three years and “displacement by nearly 400 per cent”.
Women and girls face particular challenges as migrants, whatever their reason for leaving their country of origin. UN agencies are learning more about these difficulties, and how to address them.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is stepping up response in Africa’s Sahel region where escalating violence has forced a rising number of people to flee their homes.
Supporting Mauritania’s efforts to protect its eastern border from jihadists and other destabilizing elements is just one aspect of the UN’s work in this “quiet” corner of North Africa.
That’s according to UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritania, Anthony Ohemeng-Boamah, who oversees the Organization’s operations to help the country realize sustainable development, economic growth and other goals.
This Friday: Worldwide violence and harassment ban at work; WFP partially pulls Yemen aid to stem food theft; crackdown on Catholics in Eritrea; Central African Republic food crisis deepens, and much more.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the “peaceful conduct” of the Mauritanian elections that took place on 1 September.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on all parties in Mauritania to ensure peaceful and credible elections as the country holds legislative, regional and municipal polls on Saturday.
Time is “running out” to find and implement solutions to the spread of terrorist groups and their extremist ideology across Africa’s Sahel region.
That’s according to El Ghassim Wane, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, briefing the Security Council on Tuesday.
He was outlining preparations for the deployment of a new Sahel Joint Force, by the governments of the so-called G-5: Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
Matt Wells reports.
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