Since 2012, political instability and armed conflict have driven Mali into a protracted humanitarian crisis characterised by mass displacement, food insecurity, economic fragility and recurrent climate shocks. In 2026, renewed violence and the blockade of fuel supplies imposed by non-state armed groups continue to disrupt access to markets, essential services and humanitarian assistance.

According to the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, 5.1 million people require humanitarian assistance. Mali has more than 414,000 internally displaced people and hosts over 317,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, primarily from Burkina Faso and Niger (UNHCR, August 2026). REACH’s 2025 MSNA further highlights the scale of needs: 83% of households have humanitarian needs, compared with 75% in 2024, an increase of eight percentage points, primarily driven by worsening shelter needs.

IMPACT deployed its REACH initiative to Mali in 2012, in partnership with the Global Shelter Cluster, to support needs assessments and information management. Since resuming operations in 2019, IMPACT has produced data and analysis to inform humanitarian planning, prioritisation and response adaptation.

Its work includes the Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA), conducted in collaboration with national authorities, OCHA and humanitarian partners. The assessment analyses needs severity, geographical disparities and vulnerabilities across population groups. IMPACT also contributes to joint market monitoring, information management for the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), and acute needs analysis. These activities provide complementary evidence to help humanitarian actors determine where to intervene, which populations to prioritise and which response modalities to use.