Once there was a fairy-tale image of the brave and noble humanitarian, who would storm into conflict zones – armed only with vaccines and sacks of food – and indiscriminately save lives, having no other impact that a strictly humanitarian one. In the mid-1990s, that image was shattered. Strikingly common-sensical, Mary Anderson laid out the idea of Do No Harm, based on the realisation that humanitarian assistance takes place within a political context, and that so-called humanitarians, in their eagerness to do good, risked exacerbating tensions and deepening conflicts. Of course, this insight was not new. As long as there have been conflicts, people in violence-ridden countries have seen foreigners appear and influence the course of events. Having them arrive in white Landcruisers with colourful flags hardly changed the essential point that, in a conflict zone, everything is political.

Pierre Holtz for UNICEF / HDPT CAR

Acknowledging that emergency aid can have unintended and potentially disastrous consequences should not, and has not, led humanitarian organisations to pack up their vaccination kits and go home. On the contrary: while the idea of Do No Harm is as relevant today as ever, there is no reason why it could not have a positive twin. This twin idea – ‘Do More Good’ – suggests that impartial and effective humanitarian action can have a positive impact beyond its primary aim of saving lives and relieving suffering, i.e. to create some breathing-space for conflict-torn communities and lay the foundations for stability and development. Just such a window of opportunity may exist today in the Central African Republic. Although this window may close fast, it does appear that positive change could be possible. Aid organisations are playing a central role in helping to bring it about. Continue Reading »

The Central African Republic (CAR) successfully held its first Development Partner Round Table in Brussels on Friday, gathering much needed donor support for the impoverished nation. Donors pledged to spend USD 600 million over the next three years to finance crucial humanitarian and development projects. Continue Reading »

Following the Development Partner Consultation in June 2007, the government of the Central African Republic (CAR) is preparing for its next milestone meeting. President Bozizé and Prime Minister Doté will present the country’s first poverty reduction strategy on October 26 during a round table meeting in Brussels. Many international organizations and donor countries will be present to discuss development and reconstruction plans for the years 2008 to 2010.

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On 26 June 2007, 14 countries and 18 international and international financial organizations met for a first consultation of development partners on the situation in the Central African Republic. This meeting will be followed by a wider donor round table in October 2007.

During the consultation, the CAR Government presented its reconstruction strategy for the landlocked, conflict- and debt-burdened country. Government representatives also illustrated the current situation in a number of sectors, such as economy and finance, security sector reform, infrastructure, gender, education, health, rural development.

All documents and presentations for the conference can be accessed at www.car-conference.net. For the government’s reconstruction strategy see the presentation by Sylvain Maliko, Minister of Economics, Plan and International Cooperation, below.