Attachments
In Numbers
2,531 mt of food assistance distributed
US$ 48,968 cash-based transfers made
US$ 64.5 m six months (March-August 2021) net funding requirements
426,479 people assisted in February 2021
Operational Updates
• According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the new wave of violence has displaced more than 276,000 people since December. About half of those displaced have returned home, while more than 129,000 remain internally displaced. Also, 109,000 Central Africans are seeking refuge in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Cameroon, Chad, and the Republic of Congo.
• In February, WFP reached some 426,479 beneficiaries (including internally displaced persons, refugees, and host families) with food and nutrition assistance, representing 58 percent of the planned target. The implementation of activities was affected by the insecurity as minimumsecurity requirements could not be provided in most of the areas of operation.
• WFP also assisted 44,064 children with school meals to meet their nutritional requirements. Following the resurgence of violence that started in December 2020, half of the country’s children are out of school. Nearly 1,000 schools across the country have been forcibly closed, occupied, or damaged due to fighting, and at least 26 schools are still occupied by armed groups in 11 of the 16 prefectures. This interruption comes only a few months after the reopening of schools after months of closure because of COVID-19. This is affecting WFP school feeding activities. To mitigate the situation, WFP is providing take-home rations in several areas to ensure children’s safety. UNICEF also reported that at least 24,000 children aged 6-59 months across fourteen of CAR’s 35 health districts are at risk of severe acute malnutrition following the recent spike in violence across the country.
• Despite a decrease in the number of violent incidents, the security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) remains tense as government forces continue to regain control of areas occupied by the Coalition des Patriotes pour le Changement (CPC) since mid-December 2020. Given the continuing military operations and the second round of the legislative elections held on 14 March 2021, the overall security situation remains volatile. There are concerns that the persistence of the CPC elements could lead to renewed clashes that may heighten the negative impact on humanitarian activities.
• The ongoing insecurity continues causing significant disruptions on the main supply route (MSR1). This is primarily resulting in a delay in delivering essential aid to affected populations and sustaining food price increments. Though the Central African military forces have gradually reopened the MSR1 route between Bangui and Cameroon, trucks' movement is slowly resuming with coordinated escort convoys. As a result, WFP continues to face recurrent supply chain disruptions. However, to ensure there is no disruption in aid delivery, WFP is working to preposition food in key locations across the country.
• The results of the WFP mobile Vulnerability Assessment Mapping (mVAM) shows that 2.3 million people have insufficient food consumption, a considerable increase compared to the last three months. The deterioration of the food security situation is attributed to the decline in the security situation, the rise in food prices and the depletion of household's food stocks. The loss of household incomes and the rise in food costs in the urban areas is affecting households' purchasing power, which exacerbates their vulnerability