UNICEF: Acute Malnutrition Threatens One Million Children in Africa's Sahel Region

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned today (Friday) that about a million children under the age of 5 will be at risk this year of acute malnutrition in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, countries in the Sahel region facing extremist attacks.

And the UN organization said in a statement that "about 970,000 children" are concerned with this matter in these three poor and border countries that suffer from insecurity.

Niger is the most vulnerable country, with the number of severely malnourished children expected this year to reach 430,000.

UNICEF added, "The number has decreased by about 60,000 children from 2022, in a decline that can be attributed to the strong mobilization of the government of Niger, (UNICEF) and its partners."

In contrast, acute malnutrition in Mali is expected to increase by 18.4 percent this year, affecting 367,000 children.

"Insecurity and growing conflict mean that vulnerabilities are increasing in the region, and it is increasingly difficult to assist communities in isolated areas facing extremist attacks," said Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa.