West and Central Africa: Latest Events at a glance (27 January - 2 February 2026)

Mali

Population movement in the Sikasso region

According to local sources, on 27 January 2026, the village of Kouloupenebougou, in the commune of Tella, Sikasso region, was reportedly attacked by armed elements, leading residents to flee. Estimated at some 1,000 residents, the village has been reportedly completely emptied, with those fleeing settling in neighboring towns of Kignan, Niena, and Sikasso. Monitoring is ongoing to confirm the information and assess humanitarian implications.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

UN appeals for US$1.4 billion amid worsening humanitarian crisis

The United Nations, humanitarian partners and the Government have launched the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, seeking US$1.4 billion to respond to escalating needs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The crisis, driven by conflict, displacement, climate shocks and epidemics, has left nearly 15 million people in need of assistance out of a population of 113 million. Funding constraints mean partners plan to reach only 7.3 million people this year. In 2025, shortfalls led to the closure of about 1,000 nutrition centres, affecting nearly 400,000 severely malnourished children, while around 1.5 million people lost access to primary healthcare. Food assistance has also been reduced, with ration cuts of up to 70 per cent in eastern provinces, as insecurity in the north-east continues to disrupt operations.

Niger

UN allocates $5 million for flood preparedness

The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has released $5 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support anticipatory action ahead of expected severe flooding in parts of the country. The funding will help strengthen early warning systems and enable the pre-positioning of shelter and mobile medical services in high-risk areas, in support of government-led preparedness efforts.

Togo

ECOWAS launches humanitarian assistance project in Togo

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched a humanitarian assistance project of over US$ 700,000 in Togo to support refugees, internally displaced persons, asylum seekers, returnees and host communities. The initiative was officially launched on 26 January 2026 in Lomé, where ECOWAS representatives handed over the funds to Togolese authorities. With the technical support from WFP, the project will provide food and non-food assistance, safe water, hygiene and sanitation services, and livelihood support to 10,000 vulnerable people in the Savanes and Kara regions. Aligned with ECOWAS Vision 2050, the programme combines immediate humanitarian relief with longer-term resilience and social cohesion efforts, as officials underscored the importance of regional solidarity to mitigate the impact of displacement, climate shocks and insecurity on affected communities.