Burkina Faso — humanitarian situation

Burkina Faso continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis driven by armed conflict and food insecurity affecting millions of people across the country. Insecurity has triggered ongoing displacement flows, with recent cross-border movements into neighboring Mali totaling approximately 4,257 Burkinabè refugees who arrived in the Koro cercle of Bandiagara region as of mid-June (UNHCR). Within the country, Crisis-level food insecurity (IPC Phase 3) persists in Karo-Peli, while Stressed outcomes (IPC Phase 2) continue in Djelgodji and Yagha provinces in the north (FEWS NET). Poor households face severe consumption deficits as income from water sales, artisanal gold mining, and remittances remains insufficient to finance food purchases despite cereal availability on markets. Food assistance currently prevents more severe deterioration in Djelgodji and Yagha, enabling poor households to maintain adequate consumption levels. The crisis unfolds against a backdrop of elevated violence affecting civilian infrastructure and populations. Burkina Faso was among 33 countries globally where attacks on health care were documented in 2025, contributing to 2,546 incidents that included 790 instances of facility damage or destruction and 455 health worker deaths (Insecurity Insight). Children have been particularly affected by conflict-related violations across multiple countries in the region, with 24,174 children suffering grave rights violations globally in 2025, representing an eight percent increase from the previous year (UN). Educational infrastructure has also been targeted, with attacks on schools and military use of educational facilities reaching record levels across profiled countries in 2024 and 2025 (GCPEA). Humanitarian needs across West and Central Africa remain substantially underfunded, constraining response capacity. UNHCR has called for increased international investment in durable solutions for displaced populations throughout the region, emphasizing support for voluntary return, reintegration, and socio-economic inclusion to enable transition from long-term humanitarian assistance (UNHCR). The approaching El Niño conditions forecast from mid-2026, potentially reaching moderate to strong intensity, pose additional risks to food security and livelihoods in an already fragile context (IASC, IFRC, OCHA).