Caritas organisations from across the Sahel have launched a coordinated communication strategy to address food shortages and political turmoil in the region. The meeting, which began on 19 February in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, brings together Caritas representatives from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Sénégal. Since 2007 these groups have collaborated through the Sahel Caritas platform.

According to a statement released during the gathering, which runs until 23 February, the participants include communications and emergency response officers. Their goal is to establish a regional communication system linking the various Catholic aid organisations.

The meeting is part of Emergency Appeal 28/2012, titled “Project to strengthen Caritas’ capacity for preparation and comprehensive response to humanitarian emergencies caused by the crisis in Mali.”

Father Isidore Ouédraogo, executive secretary of Caritas Burkina, explained that the session aims to create a common working framework for all communications and emergency managers in the Sahel Caritas network, thereby improving their ability to intervene effectively.

Estimates suggest that approximately 300,000 Malian refugees have fled to neighbouring countries.

By Mariama Hamani — Analyst