Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP)
The CAP is much more than an appeal for money. It is an inclusive and coordinated programme cycle of:
a) strategic planning leading to a Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP);
b) resource mobilisation (leading to a Consolidated Appeal or a Flash Appeal);
c) coordinated programme implementation;
d) joint monitoring and evaluation;
e) revision, if necessary; and
f) reporting on results.
The CHAP is a strategic plan for humanitarian response in a given country or region and includes the following elements:
a) A common analysis of the context in which humanitarian action takes place;
b) An assessment of needs;
c) best, worst, and most likely scenarios;
d) Stakeholder analysis, i.e. who does what and where;
e) A clear statement of longer-term objectives and goals;
f) Prioritised response plans; and
g) A framework for monitoring the strategy and revising it if necessary.
The CHAP is the foundation for developing a Consolidated Appeal or, when crises break or natural disasters occur, a Flash Appeal. The CHAP can also serve as a reference for organisations deciding not to appeal for funds through a common framework. Under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator, the CHAP is developed at the field level by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Country Team. This team mirrors the IASC structure at headquarters and includes UN agencies, and standing invitees, i.e. the International Organization for Migration, the Red Cross Movement, and NGOs that belong to ICVA, Interaction, or SCHR. Non-IASC members, such as national NGOs, can be included, and other key stakeholders in humanitarian action, in particular host governments and donors, should be consulted.
The Humanitarian Coordinator is responsible for the annual preparation of the consolidated appeal document. The document is launched globally each November to enhance advocacy and resource mobilisation. An update, known as the Mid-Year Review, is presented to donors in June of each year.
Donors provide resources to appealing agencies directly in response to project proposals. The Financial Tracking Service (FTS), managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is a database of donor contributions and can be found on www.reliefweb.int/fts
In sum, the CAP is about how the aid community collaborates to provide civilians in need the best protection and assistance available, on time.
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Mid-Year Review revises the Consolidated Appeal in response to changes in the situation in the Republic of Congo (RoC) and more particularly in the Pool Region. These changes result mainly from: (1) the recent announcement of legislative elections by President Sassou Ngesso; (2) the country's efforts to implement the March 2003 Peace Agreement as Ninjas Chief Frederic Bitsangou, alias Pastor Ntumi, has now clearly expressed his intention to be part of the political process and has taken some concrete steps to confirm this option; and (3) the status of the Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) process.
Pastor Ntumi has recently visited all districts in the Pool, claiming his intention to bring peace, collect arms and represent the region in the parliament. It is not clear yet whether he has the backing of the present government and/or the support of the majority of the Pool inhabitants including the Ninjas.
Conversely, the DDR programme, which was supposed to start in June, has been delayed again with some signs that the implementation may be more challenging than previously expected. A postponed DDR programme may generate a sharp rise in criminal behaviour leading to increased threats against civilians as well as lootings of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and United Nations (UN) agencies. It is widely believed that an inadequate or delayed DDR may jeopardise any peace process.
The impact of this evolution on humanitarian needs and strategy is not yet clear. It is clear, however, that many basic needs are still unmet in the sectors of water and sanitation, education, agriculture, and health. The nutritional situation of a vast majority of the population remains precarious, particularly in the Pool region, and there are still considerable reconstruction and rehabilitation needs.
It is likely that the delayed DDR and lengthy political settlement, in the short term, will not help improve the humanitarian situation in the Pool. On the contrary, it may (1) bring to light new needs and new trends as populations previously inaccessible are revealed, or (2) set further obstacles to access.
A key achievement during the last six months has been the recent opening of a UN office in the Pool (Kinkala) that will be able to launch a strong advocacy campaign on protection of civilians, negotiate for access to areas of need with authorities and non-state actors on behalf of humanitarian partners, and implement rehabilitation and income generating projects.
However, major constraints so far to the implementation of key components of the Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) have been:
(1) Low funding levels (30% for the CAP);
(2) Impeded access due to logistical hurdles and insecurity as recently experienced by the attack on a UN convoy on its way to Mindouli;
(3) Lack of data regarding needs, location and priorities of vulnerable populations;
(4) Reduced humanitarian presence on the ground.
Consequently, humanitarian partners must turn their attention to resource mobilisation and response strategies based on the evolving security situation and conditions of access that could have considerable impact on the type of aid as well as the locations where such assistance is most needed. The main priorities defined in the original 2005 CAP were to improve and rehabilitate basic social services, to re-launch farming activities, enhance access and promote a culture of peace. They remain relevant, but some of their short-term implementation strategies have been revised to ensure that the various constraints are fully taken into account.
For this purpose, six new projects have been added to the CAP 2005, eight revised and three removed. The revised CAP 2005 increases the funding request from US$ 21,960,437 to US$ 24,110,476. US$ 7,282,363 has been contributed or committed to date, leaving unmet requirements of US$ 16,828,113.
2. CHANGES IN THE CONTEXT AND HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES
On the political front, the President Denis Sassou-Nguesso and the ruling Parti Congolais du Travail (PCT), together with its allies in Forces Démocratiques Unies (FDU), dominate the political scene. Together, they hold 70% of the seats in Parliament and new legislative elections are not due until 2007.
The Ceasefire Agreement signed in 1999, renewed in 2003, is still holding. Despite their efforts to find a common ground, the Government and the Conseil National de la Resistance (CNR) have not yet managed to implement measures that could foster peace. The first half of 2005 has been characterised by some progress on the political front, with several governmental communiqués reasserting its willingness to find a final settlement with Pastor Ntumi.
In December, the government announced legislative elections in the Pool would take place at the end of 2005's second quarter. Insecurity and the absence of electoral lists may hold back this key political process. However, for the Pool region, having Members of Parliament (MPs) would allow a discussion in the parliament of the region's problems, increase the government awareness and political will to address key issues as well as the allocation of part of the national budget that normally funds local spending on essential health, education, administrative and security services. Pastor Ntumi has indicated his intention to participate in the electoral process and this may be a sign of a renewed commitment to the peace process. In the meantime, he has promised to collect the arms remaining in the Ninjas hands. Indeed, the DDR programme agreed under the ceasefire has yet to begin and young armed men are still living in the Pool without any financial assistance or reintegration prospect.
The security situation remains essentially the same, with cyclical insecurity peaks forcing NGOs to pull out or limiting their activities for short periods. The United Nations security phase remains at IV for Mindouli and III in Kinkala. Several security incidents affecting train passengers, NGOs and the UN have resulted over the recent months in a limited access and incapacity to properly support the population in need.
The lack of road infrastructure is hampering humanitarian assistance as well as any kind of trade. Transportation is essential to access markets, sell agricultural products and buy goods, but the poor condition of the roads, insecurity and roadblocks are among the many reasons why unhindered access to markets is still denied for a majority of the Pool's inhabitants. It takes 5 hours to cover the 70 kilometres (km) separating Brazzaville and Kinkala. Local tradesman are often looted or ransomed at Ninjas' checkpoints. As a result, essential basic products are unavailable or too expensive for the population. Actually, farmers practice subsistence farming as the only alternative to the continuous looting, resulting on a negative impact on food security.
The health sector suffers from lack of access and shortage of funds to pay medicine and medical staff as well as the reluctance of civil servants to be posted in the region, which all concurs to the worsening of the health crisis. The lack of electricity in the whole department prevents a safe medical practice. NGOs are providing basic health care to the population. In May 2005, the country was hit again by the Ebola outbreak, which affected 12 people and caused 10 deaths. Fifty-one persons who were in contact the disease are currently being monitored.
The education sector is in disarray. Thousands of teachers fled the conflict and school infrastructures are in ruin. According to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, 85% of school buildings in the Pool are in need of significant repair. In addition, the government's inability to pay the teachers still around, leave children being taught by hundreds of untrained volunteers.
With conflicts that started in 1997/98, at least two generations of children have never been to school. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates in 2005 that there are at least 1,500 children in the Ninja ranks, while in villages controlled by the armed group, those too young to carry weapons have little prospects for education. In a context of no peace no war, ease of access to small arms and a large presence of armed young men, the education crisis constitutes a serious threat to peace and stability in the region.
The economic situation has registered some positive changes following the debt reduction announcement from the Club of Paris, and the African Development Bank (ADB) as well as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approval of the RoC economical and financial programme.
However, these changes have yet to have an impact on the population's conditions of life. 70% of the people still live under the poverty line and the country is listed 144 out of 177 on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development (HD) index in 2004.
Funding
With chronic under-funding for humanitarian actions in Republic of Congo (approximately 30% response to the CAP), little funding is available for International NGOs (INGO) working in the Pool area. As the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) programmes are ending in July, some NGOs may leave the country, although the vulnerable population still needs assistance. Currently, only 4 NGOs in addition to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are working in the Pool region: Médecins sans Frontières-Holland (MSF-H), Atlas Logistique, the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED), and the Comité d'Aide Médicale (CAM). Médecins sans Frontières-France (MSF-F) left Mindouli in April.
Indeed, the Pool crisis remains mostly ignored or unknown on the international scene while thousands of poor people continue to be displaced, affected by food insecurity, lack of basic resources and human rights violations.
Key under-funded sectors include:
- UNICEF: school and health infrastructure rehabilitation, water and sanitation, protection projects have been on hold due to lack of funds (US$ 3.1 million requested, 23% funded, affecting 30,500 Pool children between 6 and 12 years);
- NGO/World Health Organization (WHO) health programmes may end without new funding, despite NGO's early and consistent presence in the field. In the Health sector, US$ 5 million requested, 1% funded, leading to a lack of national immunisation programme in the Pool, with devastating effect on the population, particularly some 10,000 children targeted by the programme;
- The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been unable to purchase and distribute essential seeds and farming tools that could stabilise food security (0% of the US$ 1.7 million requested to increase the income/production capacity of some 160,000 persons). Funding for humanitarian action not listed in the CAP has only reached 29% of the population;
- Road rehabilitation remains on hold, making access difficult. (Economic recovery and infrastructure requested US$ 583,000, 0% funded).
It is therefore important to continue raising the profile of the crisis. Humanitarian reports, accurate assessments and field missions (including donors and media) will help ensure awareness from the international community and promote more vigorous support through the CAP. In the meantime, it is crucial to find funding for the several NGOs who may otherwise leave the Pool in the coming months, whereas humanitarian needs are still prevailing.
3. REVIEW OF THE COMMON HUMANITARIAN ACTION PLAN
The CHAP for RoC laid out at the end of 2004 remains relevant. Overall, the humanitarian community realistically expects that no further progress and improvements in the operating environment will be made over the next six months and access will remain a constant concern to all parts of the Pool region.
Over the next six months, a large effort will be made to extend humanitarian assistance and carry on the rehabilitation of social services and infrastructures in the region.
3.1 IMPACT OF FUNDING LEVELS ON CHAP IMPLEMENTATION:
Currently, 30% of the US$ 24 million requested in the CAP 2005 has been received. Furthermore, funding, beyond being scarce, has been slow to arrive, thus delaying the effective implementation of the projects. The recent UN inter-agency mission has undeniably contributed to heighten the visibility of the crisis.
Despite the limited funding received, UN agencies and humanitarian partners are increasing their activities in the Pool area, as developed in paragraph 4. They provide support to the populations in the sectors of health, education, agriculture, economic recovery, infrastructure rehabilitation and protection. Operational and active in the region since the beginning of the conflicts, the NGOs make a valuable contribution to the CHAP. However, some of them are planning to suspend their activities and leave the country due to lack of funding. The termination of ECHO programmes in the country (currently their main source of funding), and the absence of funding on the projects proposed in the CAP 2005, are putting NGOs in a very precarious situation.
3.2 SCENARIOS
The most likely scenario developed in the CAP 2005 remains unchanged with a further deterioration of humanitarian conditions worsened by accessibility constraints in reaching the affected communities. It closely mirrors the current situation of the Pool, with some developments being slightly worst than expected.
Insecurity incidents have been recurring over the months of December, preventing humanitarian organisations to be fully operational during that period, and later in March and April, causing the temporary suspension of UN activities in the region.
The fact that the DDR process has not been operational, despite the Government official launch of reinsertion activities in March is worrisome. Indeed, it is clear that the demobilisation of fighters is a cornerstone and conditional to the installation of a durable peace in the Pool. The disarmament announced by Pastor Ntumi, could become a "bargaining" tool for the rebel group, and trigger more violence if his demands of inclusion in the current cabinet of President Nguesso are not met. In that case, the risks of further deterioration of security conditions and resumption of conflict would have devastating consequences on the already affected population.
3.3 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Depending on the availability of funds for the remaining of 2005, the strategic priorities of the humanitarian community will be as follow:
- Reduce current mortality, morbidity and malnutrition levels;
- Improve and rehabilitate basic social services, including education and health centres;
- Re-launch productive and farming activities;
- Increase advocacy for free circulation of humanitarian actors and to ensure adequate mobilisation of internal and external resources;
- Address longer term vulnerabilities and better link relief and recovery/ transitions actions;
- Establish a more coherent and comprehensive information management and sharing system with all stakeholders;
- Support the reintegration of internally displaced populations and returnees;
- Contribute to peace building and conflict prevention efforts by supporting the implementation of DDR programmes.
Some progress have already been achieved in implementing some of these strategic goals regarding the rehabilitation of social services and the provision and assistance in health, water and sanitation and Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) prevention and treatment. It is expected that the newly opened UN office will facilitate the achievement of these strategic goals. However, over the last six months, critical under-funding, insecurity and lack of reliable data hampered initiatives to reduce mortality, malnutrition and to address longer-term vulnerability, peace building and conflict prevention activities.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2. CHANGES IN THE CONTEXT AND HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES
3. REVIEW OF THE COMMON HUMANITARIAN ACTION PLAN
- 3.1 Impact of funding levels on CHAP implementation
- 3.2 Scenarios
- 3.3 Strategic Priorities
4. RESPONSE PLAN
5. CONCLUSION
ANNEX I. CAP 2005 - HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN CONGO
ANNEX II. CAP 2005 - NEW AND REVISED PROJECTS
ANNEX III. CAP 2005 - NEW AND REVISED PROJECTS DESCRIPTIONS
ANNEX IV. TABLE 1. SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS BY APPEALING ORGANISATION AND BY SECTOR
ANNEX V. ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Note: The full text of this appeal is available on-line in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format and may also be downloaded in zipped MS Word format.
Full Original Mid-Term Review [pdf* format] [zipped MS Word format]
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