Attachments
SITUATION
• As of July, the total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) was approximately 581,000, while nearly 607,000 Central African refugees resided in neighboring countries, according to the UN. However, improving security conditions in some parts of the country—particularly in southeast CAR—led to the spontaneous return of approximately 355,000 Central Africans from January to July.
• Following the start of the harvest season from September to October, the number of people facing Crisis (IPC 3) or worse levels of acute food insecurity in CAR is anticipated to decrease from 1.8 million people to nearly 1.35 million people, according to the most recent IPC analysis.* During this period, Emergency (IPC 4) levels of acute food insecurity will likely persist in areas with large IDP concentrations, particularly in southeastern CAR’s Haut-Mbomou, Haute-Kotto, and Mbomou prefectures, given the impact of conflict and displacement on agricultural activities and labor opportunities.
• Despite increased food availability and access in most prefectures, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) projects that populations in CAR will likely face Crisis levels of acute food insecurity or worse through January 2020, due to heavy rainfall and insecurity hindering the delivery of food aid and disrupting livelihoods and markets.
• The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) anticipates that more than 38,000 children in CAR younger than five years of age will experience severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in 2019.
RESPONSE
• With support from USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (FFP), the UN World Food Program (WFP) distributes emergency food assistance to nearly 200,000 food-insecure IDPs, vulnerable host community members, and returnees affected by conflict and insecurity in CAR. Through FFP contributions, WFP also provides school meals for children from crisis-affected families. Additionally, FFP collaborates with non-governmental organization (NGO) partners ACTED, Concern Worldwide, Mercy Corps, and Oxfam Intermón to distribute food vouchers, cash transfers, and locally-procured food and conduct food-for-assets activities for IDPs and host community members in Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Mbomou, and Ouaka prefectures.
• FFP enables UNICEF to provide ready-to-use therapeutic food to treat malnourished children, as well as facilitate nutrition assessments and trainings for caregivers and health workers, in CAR.
• FFP also supports emergency food assistance for Central African refugees sheltering in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo through ACTED, Samaritan’s Purse, and WFP.