2023-04-28 15:13:17
Due to the insecurity along the border, traffic between Sudan and CAR has been severely disrupted, leading to a sharp increase in the price of basic necessities.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recalls that Sudan supplies several towns in the CAR, particularly Birao in the Vakaga Prefecture and Ndélé in the Bamingui-Bangoran Prefecture.
“During the rainy season, which lasts from April to October, access is very difficult and supplies largely depend on Sudan,” OCHA detailed in its latest situation report.
For some products, prices have doubled. A 50 kg bag of sugar, which sold for 40,000 CFA francs (more than 65 dollars) before the conflict, is now worth 80,000 CFA francs (134 dollars) in Birao. A small bowl of millet that used to cost the equivalent of less than one dollar 500 CFA francs is currently worth almost two dollars (1,000 CFA francs).
The northern region of CAR was already experiencing “acute food insecurity”, a situation that is expected to reach one of its worst stages by August if an adequate response is not provided.
According to the Humanitarian Needs Overview for 2023 published in November 2022, approximately 120,000 people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection in northern CAR, and capacities to absorb additional needs are very limited.
3,000 people crossed the border to get to Am-Dafock
Regarding population movements, around 3,000 people have crossed the border to reach Am-Dafock in the CAR and are living in spontaneous camps. Other people are said to be waiting at the border to go to the CAR.
According to OCHA, the humanitarian presence in this border region was already very limited before the conflict. “However, a humanitarian partner has deployed a mobile emergency response team from Birao to provide, among other things, a medical and nutritional response to Am-Dafock,” the office said.
Currently, the humanitarian community is assessing its capacities to possibly scale up the response, while additional staff are being deployed to Birao to further assess the situation in the border region. According to OCHA, although a formal needs assessment has not yet taken place, emergency shelter and food are among the most pressing needs in similar circumstances.
In 2023, the humanitarian community in CAR plans to assist 2.4 million of the most vulnerable people. $465 million is required.
With 50% of the population going hungry, CAR has one of the highest proportions of critically food insecure people in the world. In 2022, humanitarian actors provided life-saving assistance to 1.9 million people, more than 90% of the Humanitarian Response Plan target.
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