Humanitarian Bulletin

Unloading World Food Programme (WFP) food supplies on the Chinko River
Unloading of food supplies from the World Food Programme (WFP) on the Chinko River, intended for Sudanese asylum seekers settled in Dembia along the Rafaï-Zémio axis. ©OCHA/N. Harold, Mbomou Prefecture, Central African Republic

Highlights

  • In 2025, the humanitarian community in CAR plans to assist 1.8 million most vulnerable people. US$ 326.1 million is required.
  • Humanitarian actors provided life-saving assistance to 2 million people in 2023.
  • Increasingly worrying humanitarian situation in the Haut-Mbomou Prefecture
  • Faced with insecurity in their villages, Chadians seek refuge in northwest Central Africa

 

Read the full update.

Central African Republic: Overview of population movements (December 2024)

As of December 2024, the Central African Republic had an estimated 469,342 internally displaced person (IDPs). Among them 16 per cent (77,107) lived in sites while 84 per cent (392,235) lived in host families. This represents an increase of 0,1 per cent in terms of displacements compared to the month of November 2024.

Furthermore, a lull in the security situation and the lack of assistance led to the return of IDPs in their areas of origin. Returns were mostly recorded in the prefectures of Haute-Kotto, Ouaka and Nana-Gribizi.

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Central African Republic: Overview of incidents affecting humanitarian workers (January - December 2024)

Between January and December 2024, 142 incidents affected humanitarian workers compared to 169 incidents in 2023, a decrease of 16%. Military operations, armed group movements, and criminal activities involving humanitarians and civilian populations marked the operational environment in the Central African Republic (CAR) during the year. In December 2024, 13 incidents affected humanitarian actors, consistent with the number recorded in November 2024. With the onset of the dry season facilitating the mobility of armed individuals, humanitarians have taken measures to reduce risks for teams and humanitarian assets.

In December, burglaries and robberies with the intention of stealing goods accounted for more than 50% of incidents affecting humanitarian workers. The most affected prefectures in 2024 were Bangui (17%), Haut-Mbomou (12%) and Bamingui-Bangoran (11%). In 2023, Ouham (17%), Haut-Mbomou (15%) and Bangui (13%) were the most affected prefectures. This highlights the ongoing risk of humanitarian incidents in Haut-Mbomou and Bangui.

Central African Republic: Humanitarian dashboard January – September 2024

At the end of the third quarter, 1.5 million people comprising 787,000 women and 716,000 men including 678,000 boys and girls benefited from humanitarian assistance in at least one sector, representing 77 percent of the overall Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) target. The implementation of a multisectoral response is at times hampered by limited resources, which reduces assistance to a single sector for people with multiple and overlapping needs, keeping them in a precarious situation. Violence was more pronounced compared to the same period in 2023 and remains one of the main factors driving humanitarian needs. 

The violence-affected population increased by 8 percent compared to the same period in 2023. The drop in the return flows of internally displaced persons has remained unchanged since January 2024. As of 29 October, US$203.1 million was received for the HRP (53 percent of the required US$367,7 million), a 33 percent decrease in funding mobilized over the same period in 2023. Three months before reaching the end of the response cycle, the Mine Action, Camp coordination and camp management (CCCM), Shelter-Non-Food Items (NFI), and Nutrition sectors were the least funded.

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Cash and Voucher Assistance Snapshot (CVA) (1 January - 30 September 2024)

From January to September 2024, 30 humanitarian actors in 42 sub-prefectures provided Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) worth USD 53.2 million to 780,000 beneficiaries. Compared with the same period in 2023, the number of people assisted, the amount distributed, the number of sub-prefectures covered, and the number of operational cash transfer actors rose respectively by 54.49% (780,000 vs. 504,900), 163,36% (53.2M USD vs. 20.2M USD), 2.44% (42 vs. 41) and 30.43% (30 vs. 23). 

This growth can be attributed to humanitarian actors’ commitment to adapting their interventions to meet the needs and preferences of those affected. The results of MSNA 2024 showed that 71% of households surveyed prefer cash assistance, with 32% favoring direct cash transfers.

For 2024, the use of the modalities of direct cash transfers and electronic transfers has increased compared to 2023 by 125.76% (565,300 vs. 250,400) and 0.06% (157900 vs. 157800), respectively. The increased use of these two cash assistance modalities is justified by their security, operational flexibility, and lower cost. 

 

However, the downward trend in the use of vouchers also continued in the third quarter of 2024 (20,800 versus 96,500 for the same period in 2023, a decline of 78.45%). This trend may be due to high costs and complications associated with repeated coupon distributions and the frequent redemption of coupons.

CAR Humanitarian Fund overview, January - May 2024

Insecurity in certain parts of the country and natural disasters, along with massive population displacements, remain the main factors of the humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR). This, combined with insecurity in southern neighboring Chad and the war in Sudan have triggered largest population movements towards CAR. In 2024, 2.8 million people are extremely vulnerable in CAR that humanitarian assistance alone is not sufficient to restore their well-being. Among them,1.9 million are targeted by the current Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). 

The CAR Humanitarian Fund (CAR HF) received a total of US$13 million this year, representing 14% per cent of the funding received under the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan. Through a reserve allocation of $3.5 million, the CAR HF allocated $3 million in February for the response against gender-based violence, targeting more than 74,000 people and thus representing 25 per cent of the sector’s financial target for 2024. This allocation also allowed for an emergency international resupply of inputs to take care of nearly 4,000 children suffering from moderate acute malnutrition. These responses are currently being implemented through seven projects carried out by seven partners. Among them, three National non-governmental organizations (NNGO) directly received more than 27 per cent of the funds. 

Between January and May, the OCHA CAR Humanitarian Financing Unit: 1) organized two in-person meetings with the CAR HF Advisory Committee, including one during the visit of the OCHA Donor Support Group (ODSG) in April, 2) trained 142 participants from NNGOs, 9% of whom work in Women-Led Organizations (WLOs) on different topics p, 3) conducted capacity assessments of 32 NGOs, including 25 NNGOs. A total of 14 were deemed eligible for future CAR HF funding, including 5 WLOs

Starting a new life

Over a half million of Central Africans are internally displaced and more than 700,000 are refugees in neighboring countries. Humanitarians, development actors and government joined forces for sustainable solutions and resettlement of families in Pladama Ouaka.

The danger of landmines and other explosive devices

Landmines and other explosive devices pose an increasing threat to the people in the Central African Republic (CAR). Civilians are the main victims. Since April 2021, accidents involving explosive devices have increased, particularly in the west of the country, where conflict has intensified. Landmines and other explosive devices kill and maim people and restrict access to farmland, markets, hospitals and schools. They also restrict access of humanitarian workers to those in need of assistance, further exacerbating humanitarian needs in a country where more than half of the population relies on humanitarian assistance. However, United Nations partners and others are working to reduce the risk to people's lives and livelihoods.

For more information on the danger of landmines and other explosive devices in CAR, click here.