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Donors and Southern African governments must act swiftly, collaboratively, and generously in responding to the South African Development Community’s (SADC) announcement of a regional drought emergency triggered by El Nino, warn Oxfam, Save the Children and CARE.

El Niño is a crisis of global proportions, seriously affecting 60 million people around the world, yet it is not getting international attention and there remains a huge funding gap of nearly $1.8bn. The appointment of Mary Robinson and Macharia Kamau as Special Envoys for El Niño by the UN is an encouraging step.

A lot of attention has been paid to the negative side of South Sudan’s ethnic groups and diverse cultures. These are the voices of those who went the extra mile. Their bravery and strength in light of the situation they faced is a testament to the extraordinary power of compassion, hope and the will to survive.

Without an end to the fighting – and unless more aid can be delivered to those who need it – famine remains a serious threat in South Sudan in 2015. By committing to more vigorous diplomacy and swift action, the world has the chance to prevent that. 

This study seeks to understand the strengths and challenges of working with national and local nongovernmental organisations in South Sudan’s conflict-driven emergency, and reviews how the broader humanitarian system facilitates or prevents their involvement.

The military coup in Burkina Faso late January made headlines. The registration that same month of over 160,000 newly displaced Burkinabé, a near-record high figure, did not. The jump marks the second biggest monthly increase since the humanitarian crisis started in the country over three years ago, warned the Norwegian Refugee Council, Action Against Hunger, Médecins du Monde France and Oxfam.

Over the course of recent decades, and especially since 2015, migration management has taken centre stage in the EU’s external policy and in its relations with third countries. It reflects an effort to reduce the number of migrants crossing borders and to increase returns. By doing so, the EU has not only overlooked the needs of people and communities in partner countries, but also the priorities of those countries.

Growing insecurity in Mali and northern Nigeria is disrupting the supply of food to communities suffering from a major food crisis affecting 13 million people in West Africa, said international aid agency Oxfam today.

The story of Ayul Ajak, a mother of six with visual impairment, highlights the challenges the ongoing conflict in Sudan has on vulnerable communities. 

Given the rapid expansion and recurrence of the food crises in West Africa and the inadequate responses of policy makers and other actors, Oxfam and Bilital Maroobe say it is necessary to rethink the strategies to implement in order to respond to these recurring disasters.