Joint Statement of the Humanitarian Coordinator and the Minister of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation on the Humanitarian Situation in the Central African Republic

Bangui, 17 May 2017 – Bangui, 17 May 2017 – On 13 May, the assault on Bangassou, South-East of the Central African Republic has resulted in more than 3,000 displaced people in need of emergency humanitarian assistance. The humanitarian community quickly responded and has been able to ship supplies to meet the most critical and urgent needs. Displaced persons who are in deplorable psychological conditions have been deprived of food and potable water since the attack.

In the immediate future, a distribution of vitamin food is scheduled to mitigate the effects of more than four days of deprivation on children and the most debilitated adults. A level of insecurity at its peak, the destruction of the bridges and the occupation of the roads that followed the attack prevented any supply of Bangassou. The Minister of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation, Virginie Baïkoua, and the Humanitarian Coordinator for the Central African Republic, Najat Rochdi, praised the humanitarian community's commitment to stay and respond “to the suffering of women, children and men who have been in distress and absolute destitution for several days”.

The Minister of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation and the Humanitarian Coordinator also recalled that “Bangassou is certainly the current urgency but in other regions new crises emerge and require the same level of attention”. Indeed, in the neighboring prefecture of Basse Kotto, in the town of Alindao, clashes between armed groups have already displaced 11,119 people. Since May 15, the city of Bria, Haute Kotto Prefecture, is of great concern to humanitarian community. The resumption of clashes between armed groups has pushed again over 15,000 people to return to displaced persons' sites.

According to preliminary estimates, more than 25,000 people out of the 39,000 inhabitants of Bangassou will need a multilayered humanitarian assistance. An in-depth evaluation will then provide a more holistic response that takes into account all needs. Virginie Baikoua Najat Rochdi reiterated to the people of the Central African Republic “the support and commitment to provide assistance to all those who need it without any distinction”.

The Minister of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation and the Humanitarian Coordinator express their deep gratitude and appreciation “to all humanitarian actors for their mobilization under very difficult conditions and who have shown great self-sacrifice when faced with the urgent need to provide emergency assistance to the victims of the attacks of the last few days”. “We would also like to thank the Catholic Church for its decisive role played in the evacuation of displaced persons from the sites of the hospital and the central Mosque to the Cathedral” underscored Virginie Baikoua and Najat Rochdi.

For more information, please contact OCHA CAR

Joseph Inganji, Head of Office, +236 70738730, inganji@un.org Yaye Nabo Séne, Chief, Public Information + 236 70 08 75 65, seney@un.org Press releases are available on www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int