SEVERE FOOD CRISIS LOOMS IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC IN AFTERMATH OF INTERNAL CONFLICT, UN AGENCY WARNS

SEVERE food crisis LOOMS in Central African Republic

IN AFTERMATH OF internal conflict, UN AGENCY WARNS

NEW YORK, 13 November 2003 (OCHA) -– A United Nations agency in the Central African Republic was warned that the country could experience a severe food crisis within the next four months.

“The Central African Republic could experience an acute food crisis by February or March if no action is taken”, said Samuel Nana-Sinkam, of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).  He added that the Central African people, the majority of whom are farmers, had to eat their seed supplies before fleeing an armed rebellion from October 2002 until 15 March 2003.  The hostilities caused the displacement of an estimated 1.5 million people out of a total population of 3.8 million.  Though many have now returned to their home areas, roughly 200,000 people remain internally displaced and some 40,000 others are refugees in southern Chad, unable to return because of roadblocks.

In the aftermath of the internal conflict earlier this year, many Central Africans are living in very serious humanitarian conditions.  The lack of access to supplies from Bangui, the capital, has deprived the local population of basic commodities and basic health services whose infrastructure has been consistently looted.  People living in the central, north and east regions have been exposed to disease and the risk of epidemics, malnutrition, especially among children, and a widespread degradation in living conditions, which jeopardize their very survival.

In April 2003, the United Nations launched a Flash Appeal to mobilize sufficient resources to meet the enormous needs of the 2.2 million inhabitants of the Central African Republic’s rural areas.  Some 400,000 of those in need are children under five.  Through the Appeal, United Nations agencies seek to make available basic social services seriously compromised by five months of armed conflict.  The Appeal also seeks to provide seeds and other vital agricultural inputs to farmers.

To date, just 20 per cent of the $9 million required under the Flash Appeal has been received and all of those contributions are for food aid.  United Nations humanitarian agencies fear that a failure to address humanitarian needs in other sectors, like health and agriculture, will jeopardize the consolidation of peace in the Central African Republic.

In order to meet anticipated needs for 2004, United Nations agencies will launch a Consolidated Appeal for the Central African Republic on 19 November in Geneva.  The Appeal will include programmes in health and education, as well as measures to ensure food security.  Additional funds would also be needed to help provide security for humanitarian operations and to help build national crisis response capacities and coordination.

For further information, contact:  Stephanie Bunker, tel.: +917 367 5126 (OCHA New York); or Elisabeth Byrs, tel.: +41 22 917 2653 (OCHA Geneva).

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