Social & Human Affairs Bound

Morocco’s five-year plan to rebuild quake-hit areas will cost the state US$12 billionF

Quake-hit Morocco's government announced on Wednesday a budget of more than $11 billion for reconstruction, rehousing and socio-economic development of areas hit by the deadly disaster. The 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Al-Haouz province south of Marrakesh on September...

Sahel: The demise of the ancient city of TimbuktuF

When jihadists in Mali announced they would blockade the ancient city of Timbuktu, residents thought it was just another intimidation tactic. But a month and a half later, the tens of thousands of inhabitants remain almost completely cut off from the world with the...

Niger and ECOWAS: The cost of collective punishmentF

Lines of hundreds of trucks stretch back many kilometres close to Benin's northern border with Niger, their cargo wasting and their drivers going broke after weeks stranded at the closed frontier. Almost two months since a coup ousted Niger's president, the trucks...

Libya flood: As death toll exceeds 3,300, tens of thousands of people are displacedF

Libya's flood disaster, which killed thousands in the city of Derna, also displaced more than 43,000 people, the International Organization for Migration said Thursday. A tsunami-sized flash flood broke through two ageing river dams upstream from the coastal city...