risk brief February 2021

The monthly risk briefing reports on new, emerging or deteriorating situations; therefore, ongoing events that are considered to be unchanged are not featured and risks that are beyond the scope and scale of the Start Fund are also not featured. It is collated by the Start Network Anticipation and Risk Financing team using information from academia and research institutes, government departments, ACAPS, global risk indexes, risk information provided by Start Members and their partners, and the media. Key risks are shared and collated each month with FOREWARN input.

This month’s Risk Brief includes;

Ebola outbreaks in DRC and Guinea risk expanding and spreading to other regions and countries, while La Nina conditions continue with rainfall likely to cause further flooding in Malawi.
In Ethiopia, the ongoing conflict on multiple fronts is likely to be exacerbated by the elections in June, and planned filling of a dam in July. Also in Ethiopia, reduced resistance to infections is driving a dengue outbreak which could expand.
Upcoming lean periods are set to exacerbate food insecurity in locations experiencing deteriorating situations. In Mali, this situation is conflict causing displacement. In Central America, it is the economic conditions and ongoing impacts of tropical storms.