Brussels, 26/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - Judging by the participants' opinions, the international conference on the Central African Republic (CAR) - being organised by the EU in Brussels on Tuesday 26 May to mobilise support from the international community for the recovery of the CAR - was already a success just mid-way through, in terms of pledges for financing (see EUROPE 11320).
Meeting to take stock both of the reconstruction and support from the European trust fund for the CAR (a fund known as Bêkou, which means 'hope' in Sangho, the country's main language) as well as to take stock of the humanitarian needs and strengthening the country's capacity for resilience - which is still under the shock of the 2013 crisis - the international donors, led by the EU, had already announced nearly €150 million to help the CAR complete its transition, cover its enormous humanitarian needs and facilitate everyone's access to social and administrative services.
And it is still more that was wanted - some €200 million in total (be this in humanitarian aid, support for the future elections, direct budgetary support or a contribution to the Bêkou Fund). The pressing call launched by the president of the CAR's transition government, Catherine Samba-Panza, and by the UN to plug the shortfall in previous pledges seemed to have been heard. Of the €650 million that was pledged previously, only 21% has been disbursed.
“After years of conflict, the people of the Central African Republic deserve a president and a future of peace. Since the beginning of this crisis, we as the EU have been by their side to help bring recovery, stability and development to the country. The recent Bangui forum has launched a process towards national reconciliation which is led by Central Africans themselves; with today's conference, we reaffirm our commitment, together with our international partners, to support them on their path towards recovery and peace”, said High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.
The European Commission is to increase its aid by €72 million (€10 million in fresh funding for humanitarian aid, €40 million in direct budgetary support, and a further €22 million for the Bêkou Fund), which will bring its total contribution to €100 million in 2015, announced European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica.
Mimica stated that, having mobilised €377 million for the CAR in 2013-2014 (including €185 million in humanitarian aid since 2014), “the EU has already played a key role for the recovery and building resilience”. He added: “The Bêkou Fund has created strong synergies between international partners to help the Central African authorities to get out of the crisis it has endured, to reinforce the state and to establish peace and security. It has enabled six actions to be implemented (Ed: including high intensity manual labour, food security, aid to refugees on the Western border, and health) by supporting over a million people, including re-establishing health systems in six districts. The international partners are welcome to join the fund created by the EU, initially with Germany, France and the Netherlands”, Mimica said.
The CAR president expressed gratitude: “The EU has always been at the side of the CAR to bring its help in humanitarian, security and development terms. Thanks to the efforts it has conducted, Bangui has begun to find security again and a little peace, thanks to EUFOR RCA (Ed: now taken over). We have addressed the humanitarian emergency but we don't have the means to give them the necessary kit for their resettlement, to ensure the recovery and to give them the means for subsistence”, Samba-Panza told press. Relieved that the international community is ready to “continue to give back hope through the Bêkou Trust Fund”, she called on “other countries to join this solidarity”.
Annick Girardin, France's secretary of state for development, reinforced the message. “The Bêkou Fund is working. It is effective. We are sure of the activities that create the jobs. It coordinates, it is more responsive and enables money to be disbursed more quickly for recovery actions (Ed: out of the €72 million it had before the conference, €42 million has been disbursed). I call for international aid through the Bêkou Fund”, she told press.
In Brussels on Tuesday, the aim was “to mobilise the international community, with objectives of supplementary financing. There was a shortfall of €20 million for the elections planned for the end of 2015. The calls were heard. Another €150 million was announced this morning. We will try for €200 million, without the World Bank and African Union”, a delighted Girardin stated as the conference was still under way. France confirmed that it would give €35 million “which could go up to €40 million”, like last year, she said. Germany announced €5 million. Other contributions were wanted - especially from the USA (to support the elections) and from Canada.
Responding without hesitation to a journalist who asked if it was realistic to envisage elections in the CAR when the authority of the state was not ensured across the whole of the territory, Girardin said: “Inclusive elections are needed. Some want them to be postponed. But this has been going on for several months already. The citizens need a return to trust in their governance.”
European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides stressed the fact that the CAR “is just emerging from an acute humanitarian crisis”. Stating that “over half the population still needs help”, he warned against the risk of “this crisis becoming a forgotten crisis in these agitated times when new crises arise anytime anywhere”.
The EU is the top humanitarian donor with €200 million mobilised since 2014 (including €64 million from the Commission alone) for the vulnerable people in the CAR and for the refugees.
Out of a population of 6 million inhabitants, there are 2.7 million who need humanitarian assistance and protection. The country has nearly 500,000 refugees and as many displaced people. “The needs exceed the resources available. Aid to some projects has been slowed down. If this continues we could lose the benefits of the work done over the last two years”, warned the OCHA representative, who coordinates the humanitarian activities of the United Nations. (Aminata Niang)