Two UN agencies highlight plight of Central African Republic in Rome

The plight of refugees and third country nationals fleeing violence in the Central African Republic is being highlighted in Rome by the heads of two major United Nations relief agencies.

The Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme Ertharin Cousin and UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres are in Rome on Wednesday to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in the region.

They say countries neighbouring the Central African Republic are struggling to cope with more than 226,000 refugees and third-country nationals who have fled violence since December.

Many of the people, they point out, are arriving malnourished after months of living in the bush.

Dan McNorton is Spokesperson for UNHCR.

"Jointly with WFP in Rome, we are focusing yet again on the situation in the Central African Republic. The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees are addressing a special side event of the WFP Executive Board to flag the need again about the importance of increased international support to the situation and to accelerate humanitarian efforts in the region." (31")

Currently, the Regional Refugee Response Plan for the Central African Republic is only 9 per cent funded.

Derrick Mbatha, United Nations

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