Crisis in the Central African Republic The sectarian violence in the Central African Republic has uprooted nearly one million people. It is estimated that 2.2 million, about half the population, need humanitarian aid and 1.1 million are facing food shortages. In Bangui, 1,000 people were killed at the beginning of December alone. Fighting, coming on the heels of repeated flooding, has destroyed infrastructure and basic services, dramatically increased food prices and accelerated the country’s economic decline. Productive assets and other property has been destroyed, forcing farmers to abandon crops and causing businesses to close. Before the recent crisis erupted, 70 percent of the population lived below the poverty line and this number has now increased dramatically.
More than a humanitarian crisis The current conflict in the Central African Republic is the result of long-term State failure, corruption and lawlessness, coupled with decades of underinvestment in social services and the economy. The present situation requires urgent humanitarian action but also efforts to end violence, restore peace and authority, re-establish a functioning State, and to put the country back on a more robust development path.
Once the violence subsides, livelihoods and reconciliation initiatives will be required to bridge the gap between emergency and long-term development, helping to stabilize communities across the country. Over the long-term, the Central African Republic will require considerable investment to rebuild the capacity of the State to deliver basic services to people.
UNDP’s response to the crisis UNDP has reinforced its presence on the ground with the deployment of eight experts - two of whom are advising partners on issues relating to livelihoods and stabilization. UNDP will support the stabilization of the Central African Republic through the phased implementation of community security, livelihoods, social cohesion, and reconciliation initiatives. In collaboration with donor countries and the United Nations, UNDP has already helped to draft a roadmap for the transition and will assist in its implementation. Ultimately, these efforts will pave the way for the organization of elections.
Civilians flee violent clashes in the Central African Republic. Photo: UNHCR
1. Bolster community protection and resilience. As of January 2014 a comprehensive two year programme will help stabilize the most conflict affected communities. The programme will ensure the link is maintained between humanitarian activities and ongoing community stabilization initiatives, ensuring that the investment made today in the emergency phase will be built upon in the long-run. The first phase of the scheme will include a public works programme to fix damaged infrastructure, such as water reservoirs, sewers, bridges and local clinics. Through this programme, UNDP will help create temporary jobs through emergency employment initiatives and grant loans to credit unions, helping them to in-turn quickly regenerate the local economy and create new revenue opportunities. Fifty percent of those involved in the scheme will be young people and 20 percent will be women, along with returnees, ex-combatants and people displaced from their home by the fighting. UNDP will help to rebuild trust within communities and involve people in development planning by organizing neighbourhood meetings with mayors and local administrations.
In order to help to promote peace, UNDP will help raise awareness on such issues as human rights and genderbased violence and mediation groups will be created to settle local disputes before they erupt into violence. UNDP will build on these efforts in the medium to longterm in order to ensure durable results at the national level when the political and security situation allows.
Once the situation allows for it, the United Nations will start planning for national elections. UNDP will support the newly sworn in National Electoral Authority, which brings together representatives of civil society, the political parties and the government, to help organize the ballot. Essential electoral services such as voter education, civic education and voter registration will be required.
2. During the transition, improve the capacity of national and local institutions. Together with government and international partners, UNDP will work to strengthen the rule of law, protect people physically and make sure they are served by a responsive and fair justice system. UNDP will establish legal aid centres where the rights of victims, and particularly those of women, are documented and addressed. Mobile courts will be set up across the country and dispute resolution mechanisms created with the help of religious and community leaders. In addition, UNDP will support the creation of a judiciary, police and gendarmerie mobile unit that is able to prosecute crimes. The organization will also provide assistance to the national commission mandated to investigate human rights violations. This component of the programme will be implemented with the United Nations Police and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Programme name
Total budget (US$ millions)
Allocated funds (US$ millions)
Shortfall (US$ millions)
Community security and resilience
26.9
4.5
22.4
Restoration of Police and Gendarmerie
2.5
2.5
0
Re-establishment of Local Governance
5
0.2
4.8
34.4
7.2
27.2
TOTAL:
UNDP and the Central African Republic UNDP has been present in the Central African Republic since 1976. Our mandate has been to strengthen good governance, reduce poverty and help the country avert crises, including through a vast programme to disarm, demobilize and reintegrate former fighters from past conflicts. A few key results: • In 2011, 49,000 people, including 14,700 women were given access to financial services. 17,000 credit cards distributed for people to use in banks; • In Bangui, 18,000 jobs created through a garbage collection programme; and • Support to the MDG Acceleration Framework, an ambitious plan to boost food security in the Central Africa Republic by 2015. Once the situation stabilizes, small subsistence farmers are expected to receive training, farming equipment and seeds as part of the plan’s implementation.
For further information contact: United Nations Development Programme, Central African Republic, Avenue Boganda BP : 872 Bangui République Centrafricaine communication.cf@undp.org www.cf.undp.org www.africa.undp.org/rba/en/home.html Updated January 2014