Alarm bells are ringing over the speed and scale of the humanitarian crisis in Burkina Faso.
Aid agencies are struggling to cope. Insecurity is cutting off access to large numbers of those in need; an aid system, not initially geared for an emergency response, is straining under the new demands; while a lack of donor funding is undermining the humanitarian effort.
And now there is a new emergency: COVID-19. Burkina Faso is the country most affected by coronavirus in West Africa, while its fragile health service is among the weakest.
Watch this conversation with TNH Africa Editor Philip Kleinfeld, TNH Burkina Faso correspondent Sam Mednick, and guests as they explore the crisis – from the needs on the ground to the dynamics of the conflict, the new threat of coronavirus, and the challenges of reporting.
Guests:
- Dr. Manenji Mangundu, Burkina Faso and Niger Country Director at Norwegian Refugee Council
- Jackie MacLeod, Burkina Faso Country Director for the International Rescue Committee
- Siaka Coulibaly, Analyst with Burkina Faso's Center for Public Policy Monitoring by Citizens