Security protocol to allow UN fully resume activities

A security protocol between the government and the UN is expected to be finalised this week, allowing UN agencies to fully resume humanitarian activities that were severely curtailed in the wake of the murder of nine people, including two UN staff, in October, OCHA stated in its affected populations report on Friday. The protocol is to include the establishment of UN and government security cells "to allow the organisation of missions in the country and the use of armed escorts for missions outside the capital (Bujumbura)," the report added. Humanitarian sources have also reported that an attempt is to be made to better define the concept of access in light of misunderstanding between relief agencies and the government on the accessibility of the regroupment camps to which the authorities are forcibly relocating civilians. The number of people moved to regroupment camps in Bujumbura Mairie and Rural had reached 322,336 by December, according to OCHA statistics. In all, it stated, the displaced population in Burundi as of December was 791,421, the refugee population 21,864 (mostly from DRC, but with a small number also from Rwanda) and the number of unaccompanied children an estimated 7,000 - giving an affected population of 820,285 from a total population of 6.5 million.