Bangui — The United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, welcomes a contribution of US$1,000,000 from the Japanese government, equivalent to approximately 634,000,000 CFA francs, for emergency protection and humanitarian assistance in the Central African Republic (CAR). This funding will significantly strengthen the humanitarian response to the situation of Sudanese refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
This contribution arrives at a crucial time and will enable UNHCR, in collaboration with other humanitarian actors, to provide a more effective and tailored response to the growing protection and assistance needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
"This contribution will increase the scope and quality of assistance in the areas of protection, non-food items and shelter for those affected. It will also provide sustainable housing, adequate health infrastructure and prevent and mitigate the risk of gender-based violence through the empowerment of women," said Edward John O'Dwyer, UNHCR Representative a.i. in CAR.
As of February 2025, the Commission for Movements of Populations (CMP) estimated that there were 441,129 internally displaced people in the Central African Republic (CAR), while 58 693 refugees and asylum-sickers, and over 59,900 returnees were registered in the country. In addition, as of 31 December 2024, 95% of incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) documented by UNHCR as part of protection monitoring concerned violence against women and girls, with 21% of victims being minors. In the first half of 2024, 5% of victims recorded were men and boys, underlining the scale of the phenomenon and the need for reinforced action.
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This funding from the Japanese government will contribute to the consolidation of peace and social cohesion between displaced populations, returnees and host communities through livelihood initiatives and the provision of sustainable shelter in crisis-affected areas.
"UNHCR expresses its deep gratitude to the people and government of Japan for their support to forcibly displaced people in CAR. This contribution will help us to increase the level of funding for our CAR operation and enable us to better respond to growing needs," added Edward John O'Dwyer.
As of March 2025, UNHCR's available resources in CAR stood at US$15.6 million, just 15% of the US$107.5 million required to cover the country's total operational needs.
"Japan has been a long-standing supporter of the government of Central African Republic in its effort to mitigate the impact on crisis-affected people, as well as to create peace, social cohesion and resilience. We hope this timely intervention will contribute to the well-being of the vulnerable refugees, IDPs and host communities. Considering the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in August this year, Japan will further strengthen its support for Africa," says the Japanese Ambassador to the Central African Republic, H.E. Mr. MINAMI Kentaro.
This contribution reaffirms the Japanese government's steadfast commitment to global solidarity and humanitarian principles, underscoring its unwavering support for vulnerable populations in times of crisis. UNHCR salutes Japan for its unwavering dedication to alleviating human suffering and contributing to collective efforts to build a more compassionate and resilient world.
