[HIGHLIGHTS] Millions of people in the central Sahel suffer from climate change and armed conflict

In Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, 16 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, says the US NGO International Rescue Committee. An unprecedented figure, up 172% compared to 2016, which is explained by the combined effects of armed conflict and climate change.

Temperatures are rising one and a half times faster than in the rest of the world, while 78% of the population depends on agriculture. The lack of investment in these regions makes people more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, the NGO says.