OCHA humanitarian update

OCHA-Angola said in its latest update this week that the situation in the western Bengo province had stabilised, resulting in an estimated 1,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) - who fled to Muxaluando in the north of the province after attacks in mid-February - returning to their homes. “In addition, approximately 2,000 IDPs arrived in Caxito (the provincial capital) from Muxaluando. Humanitarian partners will conduct registration and verification procedures in Caxito on 30 March and plan humanitarian assistance activities accordingly,” OCHA said.

It added that there had been increases in the number of IDPs in Huambo province in the central highlands and Kuando Kubango in the south. In the eastern Kuanza Sul province, OCHA noted that IDPs leaving the eastern city of Mussende had reported that the humanitarian situation had reached “emergency levels with reports of family members dying from malnutrition and disease”.

“Reports indicate that insecurity in the area has increased. Mines incidents, abductions, mutilations and killings have been reported. Humanitarian partners remain concerned about the situation, which appears to be deteriorating,” OCHA noted. “Humanitarian access is severely limited as a result of insecurity and logistical constraints.”

In the northern Malange province, OCHA warned that humanitarian operations had suffered a “partial or total paralysis as a result of increased insecurity in areas around Malange”. It added that about 4,000 people at the northern Kuanza beach, who rely on fishing activities, no longer had access to the waters because of diamond activities in the area. “Humanitarian partners have expressed concern regarding the threatened food security of this population,” OCHA said.