HIGHLIGHTS
Population displacements in the Central African Republic are characterised by pendulum movements with a combination of IDP/refugee returns and sporadic displacement inside and outside of the country; In Chad, UNHCR signed partnership agreements with five local government departments as a way to scale up efforts to improve refugees’ living conditions and self-reliance in the areas of agriculture, livestock, environment and fishery;
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, preliminary results of the biometric registration show a reduction of the camp population hosting Central African refugees by 22 per cent;
Deterioration of the sexual health conditions in the Republic of the Congo, including an increase in sexually transmitted diseases, caused some Central African girls to engage in transactional sex to cover their basic needs;
UNHCR operations in CAR and the sub-region continue to face a lack resources to address the urgent needs of vulnerable people of concern, with an overall funding gap of 91 per cent.
KEY FIGURES
467,796
Central African refugees in Cameroon, Chad, DRC and Congo
12%
IDPs in CAR living in the capital, Bangui (sites and host families)
FUNDING
USD 225.5 million
required for the situation in 2016
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Operational Context
Persistent presence of armed groups in CAR continues to cause civilian population to live in constant fear of attacks
The humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) and in the sub-region continues to be of concern, presenting multifaceted challenges, while nearly one quarter of the CAR population remains displaced with some 415,000 still internally displaced (IDPs) and some 467,700 refugees living in a prolonged exile in neighbouring countries. Displacement figures remain relatively stable when compared to last month. According to the latest figures available, 43 per cent of IDPs live in 99 IDP sites in Bangui and in the Prefectures and 56 per cent with host families. The Prefectures of Ouham and Ouaka as well as Bangui and the suburban area of Bimbo are hosting 50 per cent of the overall number of IDPs in CAR. In addition, Central Africans represent the largest refugee group in Cameroon and constitute around 25 per cent of the people having sought refuge in Chad. CAR remains one of the world’s most serious protection and displacement crises.
Armed groups continue to maintain a hold on large areas of CAR and disarmament is lagging – only a small minority of armed groups have handed in their weapons in a pre-disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) programme. Clashes between farmers and herders remain a major source of insecurity and instability. In Ouham Prefecture, conflicts between armed groups and intercommunity clashes have led to the displacement of 30,500 people in the Batangafo IDP site, the second biggest site in the country, according to the Camp Management and Camp Coordination (CCCM) Cluster led by UNHCR. As Ouham Prefecture is located along the transhumance corridor, cases of cattle theft and the destruction of farms are often reported. This obstructs stability, hindering voluntary returns as it creates an environment of mistrust within communities.