About the Humanitarian Assistance Sector.

Humanitarian Services: Humanitarian Services is another vital sector of practice for AEFID, as it reflects the organization’s commitment to provide protection, assistance, and advocacy for Africa and its people who are affected by crises and emergencies. AEFID recognizes that humanitarian services are essential for saving lives, alleviating suffering, and upholding human dignity. AEFID also acknowledges the challenges and opportunities that Africa faces in the humanitarian sector, such as the increasing frequency and complexity of humanitarian crises, the impacts of conflicts and disasters, the need for coordination and accountability, and the potential for innovation and partnership.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Africa has faced multiple humanitarian crises and emergencies in recent years, such as the conflicts in Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Mali, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic, the cyclones in Mozambique, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe, the locust invasion in East Africa, and the COVID-19 pandemic. These crises and emergencies have resulted in millions of deaths, injuries, and displacements, as well as severe humanitarian and development impacts. The main factors that aggravate the humanitarian situation are poverty, insecurity, displacement, and lack of access to basic services.

However, Africa also has many opportunities and potentials to improve its humanitarian sector and achieve the SDGs related to protection, assistance, and advocacy. The continent has a strong normative and institutional framework, such as the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, the 2009 African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, the 2015 African Union Policy Framework on Migration, and the various regional and subregional mechanisms. These entities play a vital role in promoting and protecting the rights and interests of the affected populations, as well as facilitating cooperation and integration of the continent. Africa also has the potential to harness the power of innovation and technology, such as mobile money, biometrics, and drones, to improve its humanitarian services and create solutions that are efficient, effective, and inclusive.

AEFID aims to support and complement these efforts by conducting and promoting research, education, and advocacy on humanitarian issues in Africa. AEFID also strives to foster a dialogue and collaboration among various stakeholders, including state authorities, civil society, private sector, media, academia, and international and regional organizations. AEFID believes that by working together, we can enhance the humanitarian sector, protection, assistance, and advocacy of Africa and its people.