Highlights
• Returns of internally displaced people (IDPs)1 to the north have continued to increase since May. According to UNHCR, 580 Malian refugees in neighbouring countries have also returned to the north between 8 May and 16 June. Although the rate has been increasing, returns are not large-scale.
• Limited funding continues to curtail humanitarian partners’ ability to provide urgent food assistance. Food needs are among the top priorities identified by recent rapid assessments in the north and Kayes region. An estimated 1.4 million people need immediate food assistance across Mali.
• Access to basic social services such as health and education remains a challenge in the north, despite efforts by Malian authorities and humanitarian actors to reach people in need.
• According to the Population Movement Commission, 353,455 remain displaced within Mali due to the crisis in the north. UNHCR estimates that 174,394 Malians are living as refugees in neighbouring countries.
• A mid-year review of the 2013 Mali Consolidated Appeal for humanitarian aid raised the total requirements for the country from $410 million to $476 million. This increase is principally due to the reevaluation of needs in the sectors of food security and protection.