PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Central African Republic: Armed Conflict (7 December 2015)

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking (a) in the short term to provide humanitarian relief to displaced people in Bangui in the Central African Republic and (b) to secure peace in that city.

Asked by:
Mike Kane (Labour)

The Central African Republic (CAR) is facing a severe and protracted crisis that has displaced more than a million people since 2012. Despite the deployment of 12,000 peace-keepers, the country remains marred by sectarian tension, criminal violence, arms proliferation and armed groups.

In September the UK approved a £7 million uplift in our assistance to CAR and CAR refugees to address rising needs and aid gaps, bringing UK humanitarian funding to £25 million in 2015 and £58 million since 2013. This makes the UK the third largest humanitarian donor to CAR after the US and the EU in 2015. UK funding is enabling partners including the International Committee of the Red-Cross and the Common Humanitarian Fund to provide humanitarian assistance to people in need in Bangui and the rest of the country.

The UK is also working with and through international organisations to ensure an effective international response to the security crisis in CAR.The UN is a key partner in CAR.The UK contributes to the UN peacekeeping mission (a projected £33.2m this year in assessed contributions).

Answered by:
Mr Nick Hurd (Conservative)
14 December 2015