MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th August, 2023) Refugees from Sudan and Chad put additional pressure on the already poor infrastructure of the host communities in Central African Republic (CAR), Mutsa Mugangavari, the deputy head of the regional delegation at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Southern Africa, told Sputnik.
"The conflict in Sudan and insecurity along the Chad-CAR border have led many Sudanese and Chadians to seek refuge on the car side of the border. These affect the livelihoods of displaced people and host communities, who have to share already scarce resources with very limited access to drinking water, food and healthcare," Mugangavari said.
She also noted with deep regret that despite years of joint efforts made by various aid organizations, the humanitarian situation in the CAR remained "worrying."
Given this depressing fact, the ICRC keeps undertaking a wide range of activities in partnership with the Central African Red Cross to respond to the most urgent needs of the communities impoverished by years of instability and armed violence, Mugangavari added.
"In particular, we are helping the most vulnerable by distributing food, seeds and agricultural equipment to farmers, rehabilitating water systems, caring for the weapon-wounded and providing food and essential household items when needed," she said.
In the first half of 2023, around 86,000 people in the Central African country benefited from ICRC distributions, 104,000 gained improved access to drinking water and nearly 133,000 received free medical care, Mugangavari told Sputnik.
The CAR has been plunged into a security and humanitarian crisis after a coup in 2013, followed by an outbreak of violence between Muslim-majority Seleka and Christian Anti-Balaka fighters. The government and leaders of 14 armed groups signed the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in February 2019. However, it did not put an end to the armed clashes, with the war between the CAR government, Seleka rebels and Anti-Balaka militants continuing to the present day.
The conflict has considerably worsened living conditions for the country's citizens, putting their lives and health at risk. In 2022, the humanitarian crisis in the CAR deteriorated further, as violent clashes broke out in Sudan between the regular Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group, forcing many citizens to seek safety in nearby countries.
