Central African Republic: Addendum Humanitarian Response Plan 2023 (May 2023)

Context and impact of the Sudan crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR)

The conflict in Sudan is exacerbating the socio-economic conditions of the already vulnerable populations of north-eastern CAR. CAR shares almost 500 km of border with Sudan, with several formal and informal crossing points and transhumance corridors between the two countries, encouraging cross-border trade and various forms of trafficking. As a result of the insecurity along the border, commercial traffic between Sudan and CAR has been severely disrupted, leading to an increase in the price of essential goods, while the markets in the towns of Birao in the Vakaga Prefecture, Sam-Ouandja in the Ouadda Sub-Prefecture and Ndélé in the Bamingui-Bangoran Prefecture are almost entirely dependent on Sudan, especially during the rainy season. Other towns in the country are partly supplied by Sudan, including Bangassou, Bambari, Obo, Kaga-Bandoro, Alindao and the capital Bangui, which depend on markets in Uganda and southern Sudan. The products supplied by Sudan are food, non-food goods and fuel.

The outbreak of recent violence in Sudan on 15 April has had repercussions, including population movements along the border with CAR since 25 April, mainly in the Vakaga region. As of 25 May, 13,824 people had arrived from Sudan, including 10,368 Sudanese asylum-seekers (6,831 women and 3537 men, representing 66 per cent and 34 per cent of the population respectively. Of these, 93 per cent are women and children and 3,397 are Central African repatriates. These people are located in Am-Dafock and live in spontaneous camps.

On 29 May, humanitarian partners began relocating asylum seekers from Am-Dafock to Birao, a more secure area identified by the authorities far from the border with Sudan. So far, 36 families (77 people) have been relocated.

181,000 people are directly and indirectly affected by the prolonged shocks in five sub-prefectures in Vakaga, Haute-Kotto and Bamingui-Bangoran, representing 65 per cent of host communities, 22 per cent of returnees, 10 per cent and 3 per cent respectively in host families and sites. This only exacerbates the needs of 130,000 people who had already been identified as being in critical need in September 2022 (bit. ly/HNO2023). Added to this is the security situation, which remains a major challenge, with pendular movements along the border beyond Am-Dafock, particularly in Haute-Kotto with the presence of armed groups, as well as possible infiltration by other elements from Sudan. On 6 May, armed groups present in Tiringoulou made a nighttime incursion into the base of an international NGO, where they threatened the staff and took away their belongings as well as those of the organisation. This could exacerbate the situation with new displacements in other areas of the region.