Brussels, 17/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - In order to deal with a continuing disastrous humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic (CAR), the European Commission has for the third time arranged an airlift of humanitarian aid to the Central African Republic. An aircraft transporting 100 tons of emergency supplies (medicines, therapeutic foods, water, cleansing products and telecommunications equipment, plus two vehicles to support the aid operation) was due to take off from Ostend (Belgium) on Monday 17 March to head for Bangui, the commissioner has announced.
Ten humanitarian organisations - Doctors of the World, MSF (Spain, France, the Netherlands), Action Against Hunger, the French Red Cross, Save the Children, Merlin, the Norwegian Refugee Council, Première Urgence - Aide médicale internationale and the IRC (The International Rescue Committee) - are taking part in this operation.
“The humanitarian needs are enormous with the entire population affected by the ongoing crisis. Over 232,000 people are uprooted from their homes in Bangui alone and over 650,000 people are displaced throughout the country”, said Kristalina Georgieva, European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response.
On the same day, in conclusions adopted without debate on the sidelines of the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Ministers, the Council stressed the extent to which the security and humanitarian crisis in the country “remains deeply worrying, despite a relative stabilisation of the situation in Bangui and in areas in which international troops have been deployed”. The Council urged the transitional authorities to continue preparations for the elections and called upon them to fight impunity.
Speeding launch of EUFOR RCA. The Council approved the operation plan and the rules of engagement of the military CSDP operation EUFOR RCA and stressed the need to speed up preparatory work in order to allow its rapid launch. This military transition operation will, by providing temporary support for up to six months, help to ensure a secure environment in the Bangui region, with a view to passing the baton to MISCA or a UN peacekeeping operation, the Council added.
The EU welcomes the report dated 3 March of the Secretary General of the United Nations, which recommends the authorisation of the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping operation, as soon as possible, in order in particular to step up protection for the civilian population, the company the transition process, including the holding of elections by no later than February 2015, support protection for human rights and international humanitarian law and the fight against impunity, and help to restore essential state functions.
The EU stresses the importance of maintaining financial and logistical support to MISCA until such time as a peacekeeping mission can be deployed, if required. It reaffirms its commitment - including its financial commitment - in favour of MISCA and calls for the urgent mobilisation of the funds pledged at the conference of the donors to support the MISCA, under the leadership of the African Union, on 1 February of this year.
The Council reiterates its commitment to looking into the details for future commitment in the field of the rule of law and the reform of the security sector. It therefore calls upon Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to reflect on the various options which could be implemented for security sector reform.
The Council takes note of the Commission's intention of providing additional aid of €100 million to CAR for restoring the State and re-establishing social services (education, health and food security/nutrition) and for preparing for the elections. (AN)