Tom Fletcher warns of humanitarian pressure in Gao
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Journal du Mali
Tom Fletcher met displaced people and regional authorities in Gao on Tuesday, where water, health and social services are under pressure. The UN official’s visit highlights the difficulties facing host families and local services, according to Journal du Mali.
Tom Fletcher, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, visited Gao on Tuesday, the second day of his three-day stay in Mali. He met the region’s governor, Major General Moussa Moriba Traoré, then displaced families and organisations working on the ground, according to Journal du Mali.
The governor reported the impact of arrivals of displaced people and refugees on the households hosting them. In the affected neighbourhoods, the same water points, schools and health centres have to meet the needs of a larger population, while household food expenses are increasing, according to Journal du Mali.
The visit comes as Gao has for several years hosted people from other regions of northern and central Mali as well as refugees from neighbouring countries, according to Journal du Mali.
