4 February 2008
United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the impoverished Central African Republic (CAR) have identified more than 30 high-priority projects in a ranking exercise designed to improve the effectiveness, transparency and accountability of the aid they provide.
The projects, which will cost $29 million, will provide life-saving assistance to one million people, including 200,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 3,000 Sudanese refugees. They were identified as meeting criteria which included saving lives, operating in a conflict zone, and working to a clear deadline.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes welcomed the ranking exercise and called on the international community to support the projects generously.
"Stating clear priorities and mobilizing money in line with them has been a long-standing aim in the aid community. I am pleased to see that NGOs and UN agencies in CAR have joined forces and shown that this is possible," he said.
Most of the 37 priority projects provide emergency health care, protect displaced populations, in particular women and children, and ensure that populations affected by violence have access to food and water.
"Prioritizing the projects in the appeal helps us to be sure that we are reaching people who need aid the most," said Toby Lanzer, Humanitarian Coordinator in the CAR. "It also shows our concern for transparency and accountability when implementing humanitarian programmes."
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