AFRICAN UNION - UNION AFRICAINE UNIÃO AFRICANA

This drought has left an estimated 1.3 million people severely food insecure — more than double the number in the same period of 2020 7 , and the number of children hospitalizations due to severe acute malnutrition in the Grand Sud in the first quarter of the year was four times more than the five-year average.8 In East Africa, humanitarian needs are on the rise, more than twenty-five (25) million. [...] According to the Kampala Convention (2009), the State parties shall respect and ensure respect for the humanitarian and civilian character of the protection of and assistance to IDPs, including in ensuring that such persons do not engage in subversive activities. [...] Therefore, there is a need to strengthen the monitoring of camps of refugees and IDPs to maintain the civilian character of these camps as well as guaranteeing the good governance of the camps and the basic freedoms of refugees and IDPs. [...] It is in this vein that the Member States of the AU during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council held in Addis Ababa from 3-4 February 2022, have noted with great concern the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa and its additional challenge to the humanitarian situation on the continent, and called for the convening of a Continental Humanitarian Summit (CHS) to addres. [...] The specific objectives of the Continental Humanitarian Summit are: a)To reflect on the lessons drawn from the humanitarian response in Africa and take note of the capacities, commitment, investments and actions taken by Member States to address the humanitarian crisis in Africa.