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<p>We are concerned by the risk posed to populations in West and Central Africa where
approximately 760,000 people have been affected by floods in recent weeks across Burkina
Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Nigeria. Humanitarian partners
are assessing the damage, including number of houses destroyed, people displaced and
crops losses.</p><p>The UK is the largest donor to the UN Central Emergency Response
which has already begun to mobilise funds in response (including a £5 million allocation
in Niger).</p><p>In Niger and the Sahel the UK is working with existing partners to
ensure work can continue and integrate flood response into established programmes
where possible.</p><p>We are also working to reduce flooding risks through the UK
funded Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa programme. This support
to the work of meteorological and associated offices in West Africa helps strengthen
weather forecasting and early warning, as well as longer term climate forecasts. Access
to early warning is one important aspect of building resilience to floods and other
climate shocks. The UK has also supported the World Bank's Adaptive Social Protection
(ASP) with £50 million over five years (2015-2020) to build the capacity of Sahel
countries to develop their own social protection systems to support the poorest during
climate related and weather shocks, including floods.</p><p>Flooding can also increase
the risk of desert locusts spreading within the area. We are taking steps to mitigate
this risk by strengthening surveillance and control in the region through the Food
and Agriculture Organization. We are also conscious of alternative drivers such as
conflict which has created a food security situation in the Sahel which is of chronic
concern.</p><p>We will continue to closely monitor the situation, including through
dialogue with OCHA at regional level. Increased flooding in Africa demonstrates the
need for action on climate change which HMG is driving forward through COP26 preparations.</p>
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