Highlights:
Central African Republic's constitutional court has certified results from the first round of the country's long-awaited presidential vote, confirming that two former prime ministers will compete in a runoff. On 26 January, the constitutional court ruled that December’s parliamentary elections must be re-run due to irregularities.
The Commission Mouvement Populations (CMP) set the total number of IDPs at 451,986 as of 31 December 2015. As compared to November, this is a decrease of 17,311 people (4%), mainly due to the smooth progress of the electoral process until now and to a relative calm especially in Bangui. The number of CAR refugees in neighbouring countries stands at 452,000 people.
UNICEF continued efforts to manage the monkey pox outbreak in Bangassou. As of 25 January, 11 cases have been reported with two deaths in children aged under-five.
Unconfirmed reports from civilian sources reported that several large groups of LRA rebels have crossed the border into eastern CAR from South Sudan following tensions between the LRA and South Sudanese communities (including poachers).
GBV service providers have received 32 new cases of sexual violence, including 5 cases against girls in Ouham and Ouham Pende prefectures and Bangui. Cases of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) involving peacekeepers were newly documented at the Mpoko IDP site in Bangui (7) and Bambari (4), all involving girls aged between 13 and 17. This is in addition to the five cases documented in Bangui in December.
168 temporary learning spaces (TLS) were established for 20,640 children (49% girls) in Bangui and six other provinces (Ombella M’poko, Ouham, Ouaka, Basse Kotto, Nana Gribizi and Haute Kotto).
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Central African Republic's constitutional court has certified results from the first round of the country's long-awaited presidential vote, confirming that two former prime ministers will compete in a runoff. The results certified on 25 January gave the leading candidate, Anicet Dologuélé, nearly 24% of the vote while second-place finisher Faustin Touadéra received 19%. The runoff, initially scheduled for 31 January, is now expected no sooner than 14 February. The winner of the election will take over from a transitional government that came to power in 2014.
On 25 January, the constitutional court ruled that December’s parliamentary elections must be rerun due to irregularities. This comes after more than 400 complaints were lodged with the country’s election authority about issues such as spoilt ballot papers. The constitutional court’s decision will leave the country with a new president but no new parliament until 31 March, the date set by the Economic Community of Central African States as the end of the Transition.
An Emergency Food Security Assessment (EFSA) by the World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners reveals that half the population in CAR, nearly 2.5 million people, faces food insecurity, effectively twice the number of people as last year, as conflict and insecurity have led to limited access to and availability of food.
The Commission Mouvement Populations (CMP) set the total number of IDPs at 451,986 as of 31 December 2015. As compared to November 2015, this means a decrease of 17,311 people (4%), mainly due to the smooth progress of the electoral process until now and to a relative calm especially in Bangui, Nana Grebizi prefecture (Ouandago and Kaga Bandoro). The number of CAR refugees in neighbouring countries stands at 452,000 people.
During the reporting period, a sudden escalation of alleged Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) activity in the eastern and south eastern part of the country was observed. Unconfirmed reports from civilian sources reported that several large groups of LRA rebels have crossed the border into eastern CAR from South Sudan following tensions between the LRA and South Sudanese communities (including poachers). Since November 2015, LRA forces have abducted 58 people in 21 attacks in this area. Some 2,200 IDPs have found refuge in Bria after having fled areas affected by the attacks.
In Ouham Pende and Ouham prefectures a number of armed groups continue to fight along transhumance corridors with disastrous consequences for the inhabitants of concerned areas. In Kambakota (Ouham) and Paoua (Ouham Pende) humanitarian partners registered some 4,000 displaced persons stranded in remote areas with limited humanitarian access due to logistical and security issues. Furthermore, in Yelewa, in the west of the country, recent clashes between different armed groups located along transhumance corridors have resulted in the displacement of 2,000 people.
On 28 December 2015, a monkey pox epidemic was declared by the Minister of Health in Bangassou in Mbomou prefecture, following the confirmation of two cases by the Institute Pasteur of Bangui Laboratory. WHO support was solicited for investigation and response. Since 4 December 2015, suspected cases of eruptive disease were reported by an international NGO. Follow up investigations and field visits confirmed that there were 11 cases including two children aged 15 months and 4 years who died later on. A Crisis Response Cell led by the Ministry and humanitarian actors including WHO, UNICEF and relevant government representative was activated after the official declaration to ensure management of the outbreak. UNICEF has provided 10 m3 of medicine, personal protective equipment and two tents for the isolation wards.