Mali - According to the Malian government-led Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), three years after the country’s civil conflict, 468,467 former internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned to their communities of origin, primarily in the northern part of the country. But some 36,762 people remain displaced.

The return trend started after the presidential and legislative elections following the signature of the 1st peace agreement in June 2013 in Ouagadougou, and the ensuing improvement of the security situation in parts of the country’s northern regions.

IOM has been active since the onset of the crisis, supporting the Malian government and the international community in providing humanitarian assistance, as well as responding to the medium- to longer-term needs of Malian IDPs, returnees, and those in host communities and communities of return.  With UNHCR, IOM is co-lead of the shelter cluster. It also co-leads the Commission on Population Movements (CMP) with the Malian government.

Since the beginning of the crisis, IOM has assisted an estimated 149,404 people in Mali. These include some 24,024 people who received emergency assistance including shelter, non-food items (NFIs), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Some 15,360 IDPS also received medical assistance.

IOM provided 48 community health centres with medicine and over 10,000 people with psychosocial assistance. Some 11,670 people benefited from income generating activities. IOM also rehabilitated and constructed infrastructure, including schools, women’s centres and health centres to support recovery, social cohesion and durable solutions.

“The needs of Malians, including IDPs and returnees, as well as communities of return should not be forgotten. We are currently appealing for USD 20 million in the UN Strategic Response Plan (SRP) to provide continued humanitarian assistance to IDPs, including returning IDPs, in the areas of shelter, NFIs, and psychosocial support, as well as  early recovery to support durable solutions and community cohesion,” said IOM Mali Chief of Mission Bakary Doumbia.

“It should be possible to end displacement in Mali this year if all the conditions are in place to support the return of these people and to assist them in their communities of return to prevent secondary displacement.  In order to avoid radicalism and extreme violence, it is crucial to ensure a safe, sustainable environment that meets the needs of each community,” he added.

IOM has an office in the capital city of Bamako and sub-offices in Mopti, Tombouctou and Gao.  Support for IOM Mali programmes has been provided by USAID/OFDA/PRM, the governments of Japan, Spain and Sweden, and UNCERF, ECHO and UNPBF.

For the latest IOM Mali situation report please link to: http://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/press_release/file/IOM-Mali-Crisis-Response-May-2016.pdf

For the latest DTM report please link to:
http://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/press_release/file/Mali-DTM-Report-April-2016-FR.pdf

For further information please contact Aminta Dicko, IOM Mali, Tel: +223 90 50 00 07, Email: adicko@iom.int