×

Our award-winning reporting has moved

Context provides news and analysis on three of the world’s most critical issues:

climate change, the impact of technology on society, and inclusive economies.

ACT Alliance Alert: Assistance to CAR and Sudanese refugees and host communities inside Chad

by Elisabeth Gouel | https://twitter.com/actalliance | ACT Alliance - Switzerland
Tuesday, 7 January 2014 15:50 GMT

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Alert   

CHAD

Assistance to CAR and Sudanese refugees, and Host communities inside Chad


Geneva, 07 January 2014

1.    Brief description of the emergency and impact

During 2013 Chad has been dealing with two new influxes of refugees from the Central African Republic and from Sudan who are fleeing fighting in their countries.  More than 20,000 new refugees from CAR have been registered in Chad. They have been accommodated in existing camps and with host communities. Sudanese refugees are fleeing ethnic clashes in West-Darfur. More than 30,000 new Sudanese refugees have been registered and more than 20,000 have been accommodated in a newly established site called Ab Gadam. Due to the continued fighting in both countries further influxes of refugees are foreseen in 2014. Chad was already home to about 290,000 Sudanese refugees and 60,000 Central African Republic refugees before this new influx.

The new arrivals put extra burdens on the host communities who are affected by the degradation of the environment caused by deforestation, over-exploitation of groundwater and pressure on scarce natural resources.

2.    Why is an ACT response needed?

To contribute to international efforts towards meeting the basic humanitarian needs of newly arriving and existing refugees and host communities in a holistic approach and in partnership with UNHCR in 2014.  LWF / ACT is UNHCR’s main partner in Chad for 2014.

3.    National and international response

Based on the regional humanitarian needs overview which includes projections for 2014, humanitarian actors will develop a three-year Strategic Response Plan for the Sahel. The Plan will be launched in February 2014, covering all nine Sahel countries and replacing the national Consolidated Appeal Processes (CAP) used in previous years. It aims at supporting governments and humanitarians in the planning, coordination and implementation of their humanitarian work. This includes the improved identification and targeting of vulnerable populations in the Sahel, ensuring early response to emergencies and life-saving assistance for people in need, and building communities’ capacity to cope with future crises. As part of the SRP for the Sahel- Chad will have its specific plan to which the LWF/ACT activities will be part.

4.    ACT Alliance response

Since 2007 ACT has continued to respond to the humanitarian needs of refugees, IDPs and host community in Chad through annual appeals. The needs for the newly arrived refugees remain vast. Given the protracted situation for the majority of refugees in Chad, enhancing livelihood opportunities will continue to be a key activity in 2014 with LWF/ACT also including the host communities.

5.    Planned activities

In partnership with UNHCR in 2014: (1) shelter, Infrastructure, livelihood support and alternative energy sources (environment) for the Sudanese refugees in 7 camps and (2) livelihoods, environment, food and NFI for the CAR refugees in 4 camps, (3) Vocational training in 5 centers.

In addition, the ACT appeal 2014 will provide support with: psycho-social, recovery of livelihoods, emergency shelter, NFIs and education.

The proposed response will target 270,000 people including:  70,000 CAR refugees, 180,000 Sudanese refugees and 20,000 from host communities.
 Funding request to the ACT Alliance will be approximately $ 1.2 million which is a commitment to another year of continued partnership with UNHCR.  LWF/ACT programme in Chad is preparing a new appeal for 2014.

ACT members based in Chad are: Lutheran World Federation and the Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe

6.    Constraints

•    Political unrest in the Central African Republic and in Sudan, resulting in further influxes of refugees to Chad.
•    Reduced funding for security operations in the country.
•    Reduced funding for humanitarian flight operations.
•    Access challenges: Use of armed convoys in the East.

-----------------------------------
Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jean-Daniel Birmele, Director of Finance (jbi@actalliance.org)

-->