The United Nations has allocated $ 12 million from its Humanitarian Fund to support the multi-sectoral emergency response in the Central African Republic (CAR). This emergency financial allocation will also help reduce the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The allocation of the Humanitarian Fund will enable humanitarian actors on the front line to cover the most critical humanitarian needs in the Divisions of Bamingui-Bangoran, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Mambéré-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana- Gribizi, Nana-Mambéré, Ombella M’Poko, Ouaka, Ouham and Ouham-Pendé, ”said Denise Brown, Humanitarian Coordinator for CAR.
This funding will enable 34 humanitarian partners to implement priority projects in the sectors of health, water-hygiene-sanitation, the management of IDP sites, shelter and essential household items, nutrition, food security, protection and logistics.
The critical needs of the Humanitarian Response Plan 2020 will be provided with an envelope of up to $ 9 million, and those linked to the Covid-19 will be covered with an envelope of $ 3 million.
The UN still needs more than $ 300 million for its operations in CAR. These additional funds are timely, especially as the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic continues to deteriorate.
According to the UN, more than 2.6 million people, half the population, are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. CAR also has nearly 700,000 internally displaced people. And only a third of the population has access to drinking water.
The Central African Republic has to face “growing needs in an environment with severely degraded humanitarian indicators”, especially in the midst of the epidemic of the new coronavirus.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), CAR has recorded, as of May 5, 94 confirmed cases of Covid-19, but no deaths. But this country has the second highest maternal mortality rate and the third highest infant mortality rate in the world.
Humanitarian workers are also sometimes exposed to danger and find it difficult to deliver life-saving aid to those who need it most. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 121 incidents affecting humanitarian workers were recorded in the first quarter of the year, including 2 dead and 8 injured.
The Humanitarian Response Plan 2020 is only funded up to 28%, or $ 113.4 million out of the $ 401 million required.
“I am very grateful to the donors for their confidence in the Humanitarian Fund, because it is a flexible funding instrument for an effective, rapid and coordinated humanitarian response,” noted the Humanitarian Coordinator.