UN, other humanitarian agencies are calling on the regional ECOWAS block to grant special permission to bring in aid into the Republic of Niger. The UN said the sanctions are threatening the health of some of the people. Recall that all borders to Niger have been closed following the sanctions imposed on it by the ECOWAS…
The UN and other humanitarian agencies have appealed to the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, to grant exemptions to the sanctions imposed on Niger following the removal of Mohamed Bazoum by the military junta led by Abdourahmane Tchiani.
The UN said the sanctions are threatening the health of some of the people
Emmanuel Gignac, the UN refugee agency representative for Niger, said
“There is no way to bring humanitarian aid into the country,”
“The immediate goods (affected) is going to be food and then it’s going to be access to medicine, to drugs.” He said.
He expressed fear that with electricity supplies cut by Nigeria, people are relying increasingly on pier generators, but the supply of fuel could be under threat as well.
Mr Gignac added that the head of the UN’s office for humanitarian affairs, has written officially to ECOWAS seeking exemptions.
On its part, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is joining other agencies to call for exemptions, stressing that “exemptions are vital to ensure uninterrupted access to humanitarian assistance services for vulnerable populations, particularly children, in Niger”.
“The clock is ticking, and the lives of Nigerien children are hanging in the balance,” the Red Cross said.
Sanctions by the ECOWAS and the junta’s closure of the airspace have also blocked products from entering the nation, jeopardizing medical equipment and food supplies.
According to a UNICEF statement, the organization has 50 containers containing vaccines, cold chain equipment, and therapeutic food stopped at several entrance ports and unable to enter the country.
By xamse
August 30, 2023
