The number of humanitarian and development organizations present in the Central African Republic (CAR) continues to grow. Since November 2007, new offices of ACTED, IRC and the United Nations were opened in the north and north-east of the country.
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The number of humanitarian and development organizations present in the Central African Republic (CAR) continues to grow rapidly. Since August 2007, new offices were opened in the north-east and in Sam Ouandja to support the refugees from Darfur. Continue Reading »

Map days continue at www.hdptcar.net.

This focus map shows CAR and the region around Sam Ouandja, where aid agencies are assissting the refugees from Darfur. We had posted a summary a few days back.

CAR’s east is only sparsely populated. Slave traders had emptied most of the region during the 19th century.

Click here to download a PDF version

Click here to download a PNG version

These are map days at www.hdptcar.net.

The map to the right shows all places where humanitarian organizations in the Central African Republic have offices, as of August 2007.

Edit November 7, 2007: To see the most recent map, please click here.

Beware, this is not necessarily the same as project locations, but nevertheless gives a good indication of who is working in which zone.

This map and others are all included in our country briefing pack which you can always find on this website.

Click here to download the map

Click here to download the briefing pack in a PPT or PDF version

We have started a new series of ‘focus maps’ optimized for A3 printing.

These maps show the entire country, put it in context and contain a ‘zoomed in’ area of concern to humanitarian and development organizations in the Central African Republic.

We will post a number of these maps over the coming days and start with Paoua.

Click here to download a PDF version

Click here to download a PNG version

The Humanitarian and Development Partnership Team in the Central African Republic (HDPT CAR) estimates that 291,000 Central Africans have been forced to flee their homes since the rebellion in the north of the country intensified in late 2006.

An estimated 212,000 people have been internally displaced, 79,000 have fled CAR for Cameroon, Chad, or Sudan. The map below illustrates the internal displacement and refugee situation.

On behalf of humanitarian partners in CAR, UNFPA currently conducts an in-depth IDP survey in CAR. We hope to publish the results on this website during the third quarter of this year.

Click here to download the map

Click here to download the HDPT CAR Fact Sheet

For more information on the general humanitarian information in the Central African Republic please see the presentation below. Continue Reading »

The World Bank, in partnership with the European Union, the African Development Bank and the French Development Agency, will invest $680 million in three countries – Chad, Cameroon and Central African Republic, to improve the regional transport infrastructure.

The 2,000 kilometer stretch that connects the Douala Port in western Cameroon to the country’s landlocked neighbors Central African Republic and Chad is known as one of Africa’s worst. The connection is one of the last major trade routes without all-weather, paved roads going from one part of Africa to another.

Shippers struggle to get their goods to and from international markets. Trade is hampered for thousands and the deplorable infrastructure is a substantial toll on the price of doing business regionally. Transport costs are the highest in the world. Read more about this vital project on the World Bank’s website.

The Office of the UN Resident Coordinator has released a new overview map for the Central African Republic.

Clearer than any map produced before, this one shows all cities and villages of concern to humanitarian and development partners.

Click here to download an A3 version

Click here to download an A4 version

The tragic death of Elsa Serfass is a terrible shock for MSF and we mourn her loss. Our thoughts are with her family and friends.

Paris/Bangui, June 11, 2007: It is with great sadness that Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has learned of the death of one of its volunteers in the Central African Republic. Elsa Serfass, a 27-year-old French citizen, was killed today by gunfire during an assessment mission in the northwestern part of the country. Ms. Serfass was on her first assignment with MSF, working as a logistician.

Elsa was based in Paoua, working in MSF’s project providing assistance to victims of ongoing violence. The northwest region of the Central African Republic is in the grip of a conflict between rebel groups and armed government forces. Criminal acts are also frequent and armed highway robbers often take advantage of the instability. Continue Reading »

On Monday 28 May a rapid needs assessment mission led by UNHCR and composed of BONUCA, OCHA, WFP, the NGO Triangle and the government visited the town of Sam Ouandja, located in the Haute Kotto prefecture at some 950 kms from Bangui and 80 kms from the Sudan border in north-eastern CAR.

The purpose of the mission was to evaluate the humanitarian needs of a reported influx of Sudanese refugees from the Sudanese town of Daffaq (approximately 15,000 inhabitants), 120 km from the border with CAR and 350 km south of Nyala in South Darfur.

According to the refugees, Sudanese government forces backed by armed militias described as “Janjaweed” attacked Daffaq between 12 and 18 May triggering the forced displacement of civilian populations towards South Sudan and various locations in north-eastern CAR, including Am-Dafok and Sam Ouandja. Continue Reading »