UN: Largest forgotten humanitarian crisis looms in CAR

[88m3]

UN refugee agency sounds alarm as number of people in need of aid reaches 2.7 million amid continued fighting.
29 Apr 2015 11:58 GMT | Humanitarian crises, War & Conflict, Africa, Central African Republic

• 
  Total population: 4.6 million
  Total people in need of humanitarian assistance: 2.7 million
  
  Internal Aid Cost
  Required: $613m
  Received: $85m
  
  Internal Aid Deficit: $528m
  
  Regional Aid Cost
  Required: $331.2mReceived: $29m
  
  External Aid Deficit: $302.2
  
  Total Aid deficit: $830.2m
  
  - Source: UNHCR
  
  "We must prevent the Central African republic from becoming a forgotten crisis," said Claire Bourgeois, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in the CAR said.
  
  "The current funding for the strategic humanitarian response does not allow us to ensure the protection of all these displaced persons or to provide the minimum of what is needed to meet the huge humanitarian needs."
  
  Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in March 2013, overthrowing then president Francois Bozize who responded with reprisal attacks by Christian anti-Balaka fighters.
  
  Lack of funding
  
  The statement by the UN agency comes just days ahead of a forum bringing together the key stakeholders in the crisis: the armed groups, trade unions, media, displaced people, employers, political parties, platform of religious organisations and the Muslim community.
  
  With the humanitarian crisis in the country largely underfunded, it is likely to take precedence at the forum in the country's capital, Bangui, commencing on May 4.
  
  A total of almost $613m in relief aid is required inside the country and $331.2m outside the country. Thus far, only $85m has been received for internal aid and $29m for external aid.
  
  The country's humanitarian aid deficit is $830.2m, according to the UNHCR.
  
  Separately, the UN Security Council has approved keeping a peacekeeping force in the CAR for another year due to the continuing violence in the country.
  
  The council in March approved a resolution authorising an additional 1,030 military and police personnel for the nearly 12,000-strong peacekeeping force.
  
  A transitional government is supposed to be organising elections for August this year, but instability threatens that goal.
  
  United Nations and French troops are currently trying to stabilise the impoverished and landlocked country.
  
  http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/...itarian-crisis-looms-car-150429062539332.html

@mbewane @Liu Kang wondered if you guys had heard much about the situation there as of late?

 

[Liu Kang]

[...]wondered if you guys had heard much about the situation there as of late?

Nope.

 

[unit321]

I didn't know.

Ebola, Boko Haram, and Russell Wilson dating Ciara, that I know about.

 

[mbewane]

@88m3 From my understanding of things

- efforts for reconciliation are taken place daily in the capital Bangui, and some muslims have started coming back/ moving out of the "safe" areas they were staying in. Still, very far from the pre-conflict situation.
- elections are scheduled for this summer. All people in charge now of the transition as well as rebels etc can't participate. I have no idea how they will manage to organize them since the country is still in ruins and basically cut in two (North-East still mostly controlled by Seleka forces).
- Djotodia (ex-leader of Seleka and most recently ousted Prez) and Bozizé (former Prez, ousted by Djotodia) signed some kind of "peace agreement" in Nairobi, who knows what it's worth since both have been out of the country for more than a year now and not sure how much actual control they still have in the country. Plus, both should actually be tried for crimes of war, but won't happen.
- Rumors of corruption cripple the current transitional government, who basically only controls the capital and some areas of the South-West.
- To add to the fun, some French soldiers have just been accused yesterday of having abused minors. Report was filed in 2014 and seemingly buried. Ongoing investigation.