Florence Limbio, Minister of the Economy, Planning, Cooperation and Development for the Central African Republic, called for the development of a new plan, under which her country and its multilateral partners - including the African Development Bank (AfDB) - focus on key priorities and add fresh impetus to CAR's economic reconstruction programme. Her call came amid the context of an improving humanitarian situation in the country, and was made during an interview on May 23, 2014 at the African Development Bank's (AfDB) Annual Meetings in Kigali, Rwanda.
Limbio announced that her country plans to mobilise US $1.837 million to meet urgent humanitarian needs, stressing that rising malnutrition and the spread of disease remained key priorities in CAR's efforts to overcome its persistent fragility.
"The country is currently working to combat the root causes of its fragility and the ongoing poverty and conflict that have had such a devastating impact on CAR, and on its civilian population in particular," explained Limbio. Her comments came as part of an interview on the economic reconstruction of the Central African Republic.
During a roundtable discussion on CAR, the participants expressed their unanimous commitment to helping the country overcome its fragility. The situation was described as "the challenge of economic development and social well-being."
In spite of these assurances, the outlook for 2014 to 2015 remains somewhat negative, according to the AfDB. This is despite the deployment of international forces to stabilise the situation in CAR and assist with the political transition supported by the international community.
Limbio also presented her country's political, security and development priorities to the international community. These priorities are based on the Fragile States Principles as agreed in Busan (South Korea) in 2011. CAR's focus is on the rebuilding of state institutions and the public sector, with the aim of delivering more effective key services and supporting long-term development.
The country has already set out an action plan for these key intervention priorities, with the support of various development partners. This plan will help the Government to manage the public treasury, debt, public accounts and economic finance. It will also lead to a more modern approach to budget management and administrative coordination, as well as helping to modernise services and promote good governance.
"The situation in the country remains a matter of concern. There are more than one million people who require humanitarian aid, and several thousands are still seeking the support they need to avoid falling back into vulnerability," added Limbio.
She also claimed that humanitarian aid often fails to reach its target populations due to persistent security issues in isolated areas of the country, where conflict has been raging unabated for several years. Limbio went on to talk about the prevailing hostility between different population groups.
"The country is now more determined than ever to restore constitutional order. This is one of the cornerstones of sustainable development," she explained.
