Attachments
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
Note: The last situation report was dated September 25, 2009.
BACKGROUND
Widespread conflict, displacement, and limited resources have contributed to a complex emergency in Chad. Inter-ethnic conflict, fighting between Government of Chad (GoC) forces and armed opposition groups, and cross-border raids from Sudanese militias based in neighboring Darfur between late 2005 and mid-2009 have resulted in more than 168,000 internally displaced Chadians, leading to an increased need for humanitarian services. Since mid-2009, the U.N. and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have reported increased concerns for vulnerable populations and humanitarian staff in Chad, noting a significant deterioration of the humanitarian situation and increasing incidents of armed attack and kidnapping of humanitarian staff.
Displacement within Chad has occurred in the context of an existing humanitarian emergency fueled by the migration of more than 253,000 Sudanese refugees into the eastern region of Chad since the start of the Darfur complex emergency in 2003. According to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an estimated 321,000 refugees from Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR) resided in camps in eastern and southern Chad as of November 2009, taxing limited local resources. In addition to affecting internally displaced and refugee populations, the regional conflict continues to impact Chadian communities that host internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, affecting local agriculture, livestock rearing, and other livelihood activities.
On December 16, U.S. Ambassador Louis J. Nigro re-declared a disaster in Chad due to ongoing insecurity and humanitarian needs. During FY 2009 and FY 2010, the U.S. Government (USG) has provided more than $213 million in humanitarian assistance for IDPs, refugees, and host communities in Chad, including refugee protection and assistance; psychosocial services; agriculture and food security interventions; emergency food assistance; and health, nutrition, and water, sanitation, and hygiene services.