Central African Republic: Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (December 2024)

Foreword

The humanitarian landscape of the Central African Republic has evolved considerably over the past two years. Over the last 12 months, the trend clearly indicates a substantial reduction in the intensity of shocks causing humanitarian needs in specific areas.

This indicates both an improvement in the security situation in some regions and the effectiveness of sustained efforts and partnership strategies in place.

This progress also reflects the resilience of communities, the unwavering commitment of humanitarian actors in supporting government efforts, and the convergence of existing strategies aimed at optimizing the response to humanitarian needs.

However, while these improvements are encouraging, they also highlight the urgent need to consolidate the progress achieved. Challenges persist in some regions where insecurity remains and populations are exposed to various shocks. Thus, to sustainably preserve the wellbeing of the affected populations, it is crucial to maintain emergency response efforts while simultaneously intensifying development actors' initiatives to avoid losing the gains made by humanitarian response.

For 2025, although humanitarian actors' dynamic remains to mitigate shocks and emergency responses remain paramount, it is essential to strengthen approaches that promote durable solutions. Humanitarian needs remain significant despite the improved security situation, and the sole humanitarian response will not suffice to restore the well-being of the Central Africans. We must no longer be content with addressing immediate humanitarian needs: it is imperative to tackle systemic issues and invest in durable solutions. Development actors play a key role in this process by bringing the necessary resources, expertise, and strategies to ensure the gains from humanitarian response are sustained and serve as a foundation for durable solutions.

Our message is clear: we call on development actors to intensify their efforts to complement humanitarian interventions. The goal is to help communities transition from mere survival to progressive long-term recovery while anticipating the risks of recurrent crises.

Failing to integrate development alongside humanitarian interventions would increase the risk of creating a gap, where vulnerability and instability could re-emerge and expose communities to recurrent crises. Therefore, this integration goes beyond a strategic imperative to become a matter of moral accountability. By addressing the root causes of vulnerabilities and fostering stability, development actors can ensure that humanitarian efforts lead to transformative and durable change.