Aid organizations appeal for $152 million to help meet immediate needs of crisis-affected people

30 Dec 2013

Aid organizations appeal for $152 million to help meet immediate needs of crisis-affected people

27 December 2013 – Humanitarian actors in the Central African Republic (CAR) urgently need US$152 million to help save lives and ensure the protection of 1.2 million people in the country during the next three months.

Following the inter-communal violence in December, an estimated 370,000 people have been forced to flee from their homes into makeshift camps in the capital Bangui alone. Another 400,000 people are internally displaced across the country.

The resources requested will allow aid organizations to provide a priority response in multiple sectors to the people displaced by the escalating inter-communal armed conflict as well as to host communities in Bangui and nine districts in western CAR.

"Hundreds of thousands of people in CAR are today in a deplorable humanitarian situation which requires immediate action to avert a humanitarian catastrophe," said Abou Dieng, Senior Humanitarian Coordinator in CAR.

Since 5 December, attacks by anti-Balaka and former Seleka rebels have led to serious human rights violations and the death of close to 1,000 people. The unrest has also caused paralysis of public administration and the security apparatus of the State and led to generalized insecurity especially in Bangui.

Despite the growing insecurity in the country, humanitarian organizations have reinforced their presence and continue to provide assistance to vulnerable people. To meet the constantly growing challenges, the humanitarian community has re-defined its priorities in a 100-day intervention plan. This plan will be carried out within the framework of the Strategic Response Plan for the country estimated at $ 247 million which was recently launched. However, this amount will be revised upwards to take into the needs triggered by the recent wave of violence.

"I commend the courage of humanitarian workers who have decided to stay side by side with the people of CAR during this difficult time," Mr. Dieng said, "and there is no better time than now for the donors to help humanitarians help all those in need."

In addition to the life-saving and civil protection activities, the 100-day plan aims at reinforcing communities' resilience so they can better withstand the shocks they constantly experience and improve mechanisms to resolve and/or to prevent inter-communal conflicts.

According to the latest assessment, some 2.2 million Central Africans - nearly 48 per cent of the population - need humanitarian assistance in the country and more than 233,000 people have sought refuge in neighboring countries. Of the $195 million required in the Consolidated Appeal for 2013, only $104.1 million - or 53 per cent - have been mobilized.

Click here for the 100 Day Plan for Priority Humanitarian Action in the Central African Republic

Source: Reliefweb