Niger crisis: 2 million children need humanitarian aid – UNICEF

UNICEF Representative for Niger Republic, Stefano Savi, says the political crisis adds a heavy burden to an already dire humanitarian landscape in the country.

He said the crisis had affected more than two million children in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

The military rulers that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 had unveiled a three-year transition plan.

This is despite the threat of a military action by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

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In a statement, Savi said even before the most recent instability, it was anticipated that 1.5 million Nigerien children under the age of five would be underweight in 2023. 

The landlocked Sahel state, which frequently places near the bottom of the UN’s Human Development Index, a measure of affluence, is among the most unstable and impoverished nations in the world.

“UNICEF urgently calls on all parties to the crisis to ensure that humanitarian workers and supplies safely reach the most vulnerable children and families where urgently needed.

“We also demand that crucial humanitarian programs be protected from the effects of sanctions and budget reductions,” he stated.

 UNICEF stated that despite increasing obstacles, it was still providing assistance. It was concerned about the loss of energy because it was necessary to keep basics like immunizations for children cold.