Strengthening Humanitarian Coordination in the Central African Republic - OCHA 2009

The humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) is the result of more than a decade of internal conflict and growing criminal violence. Bandits continue to take advantage of the absence of the state in many parts of the country and attack travelers or entire villages. One million people in the CAR including 197 000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) now rely on international assistance to meet their basic needs. Key humanitarian needs include food clean water and sanitation services emergency medical care nutritional support and shelter. CIDA's contribution is supporting the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to lead in the coordination of humanitarian activities in the Northern region of CAR. In particular this grant is supporting OCHA to continue to manage two United Nations sub-offices in the conflict-torn northern region particularly in the more neglected region of Ndele where an additional humanitarian presence is needed. Overall this grant is expected to help OCHA support humanitarian partners working in the region to ensure that their interventions are complementary and respond to all urgent needs and that emergency assistance and recovery activities are well integrated.