Bulletin 98 | 2/03 – 9/03/09 | Humanitarian and Development Partnership Team | RCA www.hdptcar.net Shortly before the Inclusive Political Dialogue was News Bulletin held, the FDPC broke the peace accord signed in 2 - 9 March 2009 Syrte in February 2007 with an ambush on Central African armed forces (FACA) in Moyenne-Sido, close to the border with Chad. In another recent incident, on the 20 th of February, FDPC fighters attacked the Highlights village of Batangafo in CAR’s North West. - Presidential Guard intervention leads to the Current events death of a police chief 4 billion FCFA for CAR’s energy sector - Departure of François Lonseny Fall, Special Representative for the UN’s Secretary General A finance agreement of 4 billion FCFA was signed on in the Central African Republic the 6th of March to improve electrical production facilities in Boali, 60 kilometers from Bangui. Present - First satellite clinic opened by NGO ‘Emergency’ at the signing were Minister of State for Mines and Water Power Sylvain Ndoutingai, the Minister for Planning, the Economy and International Cooperation Background and security Sylvain Malko as well as the World Bank’s Police chief killed; local protests Operational Director in CAR Mary Barton-Dock. An intervention by the Presidential Guard in Bangui’s This funding aims to reduce the number of power cuts Miskine district took a dramatic turn on the evening of which can last up to eight hours in some of Bangui’s Thursday the 5th of March. According to various neighbourhoods. Mary Barton-Dock pointed out that sources, the police Chief Samuel Samba was this emergency project comes in response to the seriously injured when members of the Presidential energy crisis, a response which fits into the World Guard attempted to disarm him. The Presidential Bank’s strategy of facilitating the revival of economic Guard subsequently brought him to hospital. activities in the Central African Republic, fitting in with the rehabilitation project which has upgraded urban Believing the police chief to be dead, witnesses at the infrastructure.. scene took their protest to the streets, blocking traffic by putting up barricades and burning tyres. The police In practical terms, this project aims to re-establish a fired in the air in an attempt to disperse the reliable supply of electricity to customers of Central protesters, 7 of whom were injured. African Energy (ENERCA) and Central African water supply (SODECA) as well as improving performance The following morning, news of the death of the police of hospital staff. chief was released and more protesters took to the streets of Miskine district and its outskirts. By the end François Lonseny Fall leaves CAR of the day, however, calm had returned to the city of Ambassador François Lonseny Fall, the UN Secretary Bangui. General’s Special Representative in CAR landed in The Minister of State for Communication and Bangui in October 2007. He left the Central African th government spokesperson Cyriaque Gonda Republic on the 5 of March 2009 in order to return to announced the opening of an inquiry to find out who his homeland Guinea for personal reasons. killed the police chief. « These killers, without At a goodbye dinner on the 3rd of March hosted by exception, will be arrested and made to face justice in the President of the Republic, Ambassador Fall urged court, » said Minster Gonda . the Chief of State to continue working in the same Chief of State on visit to Libya direction and expressed the hope that the recommendations of the Inclusive Political Dialogue CAR’s President General François Bozizé travelled to (IPD) would be seen through. Syrte in Libya on the 7th of March to deliver the final report from December 2008’s talks in Bangui which The UN diplomat also exhorted the Central African led to the Inclusive Political Dialogue to his Libyan authorities to address security issues and to not counterpart Colonel Mouammar Kadhafi. neglect new threats in this context. He further encouraged the international community to continue The Chief of State also spoke to Mr. Kadhafi of his their efforts in CAR. concern about ongoing hostilities with the Front Démocratique du Peuple Centrafricain (FDPC) whose The Minster for Foreign Affairs, Général Antoine leader, Abdoulaye Miskine lives in Libya. Gambi, acknowledged and applauded the United Nations’ work in the country and the support of Humanitarian and Development Partnership Team | République Centrafricaine | www.hdptcar.net 1 Bulletin 98 | 2/03 – 9/03/09 | Humanitarian and Development Partnership Team | RCA www.hdptcar.net Ambassador Fall for the IPD. age. Samuel’s mother paid for the education of 6 of her 7 children by selling produce from her fields. A Health neighbour stepped in to support two of her children to First satellite clinic opens in Bangui get through the first stage of the secondary education: Samuel and one of his brothers. Italian NGO Emergency specialises in cardio-vascular treatment – their first sub-regional satellite clinic was Samuel was sent to Bangui to get his baccalaureat opened in Bangui on the 6th of March to offer and continued his studies in economics at the monitoring for cardiac conditions as well as paediatric university. But during this first year at university, he care. It was opened under the patronage of the had to drop out to return home to Birao to support his President of the Republic. mother. Like Abdel-Karim, Samuel got a job working in Triangle’s education programme. He’s hoping to be According to Claudio Miglietta, Emergency’s regional able to leave for Bangui again to finish off his studies, coordinator, the aim of his organisation is to before returning to work in Vakaga in the future. guarantee the best medical care without charge, thanks to their regional centre for cardiac surgery in For Abdel-Karim and Samuel, the climate, the Khartoum, Sudan, which will be linked into a system distance, the isolation of the region – none of these of satellite clinics. drawbacks will discourage them from their commitment: to help get schools back up and running This Bangui centre will offer paediatric care and and to gain equal access for girls to school. None of medical monitoring for patients requiring cardiac these drawbacks will hinder development any more surgery. Claudio Miglietta points out these two than religious differences would. Such are the activities are complimentary, as primary care in significant challenges these two young men are paediatrics can help early diagnosis of pulmonary facing – continuing their work raising awareness disease which make up the most frequent causes of amongst community leaders, heads of families, young heart disease. people, parents of pupils and children as well. Emergency has provided 400 million FCFA for this clinic which offers 8 hospital beds and a team of 54 staff, 5 of whom are ex-pats. For more information, please contact: UN OCHA RCA | Gisèle Willybiro-Maïdou, [email protected] |+236 75 54 90 31 Education School – key to development in Vakaga region ? «We’ve come back to Birao to help our brothers and sisters believe in a future in Vakaga, thanks to school ». These are the words of Abdel-Karim and Samuel, one Muslim, one Christian, both recent returnees to Vakaga after their studies in Bangui. Abdel-Karim is originally from Tahal village, 85 kilometres from Birao on the Ounda Djallé road, a star student from his first school days in Birao at the local school, followed by secondary school and university studies in Bangui where he gained a degree in Technical Studies and Community Development. His next step was with the NGO Triangle as an education assistant promoting teaching in the Vakaga prefecture. His job involves travelling to towns and villages to do evaluations on the ground as well as awareness-raising sessions with local parents and students on the need for education for all children, including girls, who tend to leave school early to get married. Abdel-Karim’s friend Samuel is from Benguess, about 50 kms from Birao – he lost his father at a very young Humanitarian and Development Partnership Team | République Centrafricaine | www.hdptcar.net 2 .