The 2025 Annual Report of the Central African Republic (CAR) Humanitarian Fund (HF) was presented, detailing operations amidst persistent acute humanitarian needs across the country. This full report showed the severe challenges faced by the population throughout the year. Humanitarian needs in the Central African Republic remained acute in 2025, reflecting ongoing instability, displacement, and limited access to basic services. More than one third of the population continued to require assistance throughout 2025, noting the widespread nature of the crisis. This significant portion of the population relied on humanitarian aid for survival and basic necessities, showing the critical role of organizations like the CAR HF.
To address these widespread and urgent requirements, the CAR Humanitarian Fund allocated $17.2 million during 2025. These allocations were strategically designed to maximize impact and ensure the most vulnerable populations received support. The funding focused on identifying and addressing priority needs within the country, ensuring that resources were directed towards the most critical areas of intervention. The funding aimed at responding to new shocks as they emerged, providing flexibility to address unforeseen crises, and sustaining critical humanitarian operations in key areas, thereby ensuring continuity of essential services. This multifaceted approach was key in a dynamic operational environment where needs could shift rapidly.
Prioritizing Protection and Access
Addressing protection risks, including gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response, child protection, and community-based accountability mechanisms, remained a central priority for the Central African Republic Humanitarian Fund in 2025. This focus showed the ongoing need to safeguard vulnerable populations amidst the complex humanitarian situation, which often exacerbates existing protection concerns. The CAR HF recognized that protecting individuals, especially women and children, from harm was fundamental to any effective humanitarian response. Efforts were directed at ensuring that protective measures were integrated across various aid interventions, aiming to create safer environments for those affected by crises and to uphold their dignity and rights. This included not only direct interventions but also strengthening community-level mechanisms to prevent and respond to protection incidents.
National and women-led organizations played a key role in maintaining access and continuity of services throughout 2025. Their involvement was critical in reaching communities that might otherwise be inaccessible due to security concerns or logistical challenges, often operating in remote or conflict-affected areas where international actors face significant constraints. These organizations demonstrated their capacity to deliver essential support, often operating under difficult conditions, and their efforts were integral to the overall humanitarian response strategy. Their local knowledge and established community ties proved invaluable in ensuring that aid reached its intended recipients effectively, building trust and facilitating acceptance within communities. This localized approach was vital for ensuring that assistance was culturally appropriate and truly met the specific needs of the beneficiaries.
Advancing Localization Efforts
A significant achievement in 2025 was the advancement of localization efforts within the humanitarian response. National organizations directly implemented nearly half of the Central African Republic (CAR) Humanitarian Fund-funded projects in 2025, demonstrating their growing capacity and leadership in humanitarian action. This high level of direct implementation reflected a deliberate strategy by the CAR HF to empower local actors. These organizations received 38 per cent of the allocated funding directly in 2025, surpassing the Fund’s localization target for the year. This achievement is a testament to the commitment to shifting power and resources closer to the affected communities, recognizing the effectiveness and efficiency of local partners.
To further support and enable local action, the CAR Humanitarian Fund introduced a micro-grant modality in 2025. This new mechanism was designed to be accessible and flexible, allowing community-based associations and women-led organizations to access funding for the first time. This initiative broadened the scope of local engagement, enabling smaller, grassroots organizations to contribute significantly to the humanitarian response. The micro-grants facilitated direct support to initiatives that were often overlooked by larger funding mechanisms, fostering innovation and community-led solutions.
Beyond direct funding, support for national organizations extended to dedicated capacity-strengthening projects. These initiatives were key for building the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of local partners. They included peer-to-peer mentoring, which allowed experienced local organizations to share knowledge and best practices with newer ones, fostering a collaborative learning environment. Additionally, targeted training initiatives were provided, designed to enhance the operational capabilities of local partners in areas such as project management, financial accountability, and humanitarian principles. These investments in capacity building are expected to yield lasting benefits, strengthening the overall humanitarian ecosystem in the Central African Republic.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Despite the significant strides made in 2025, funding constraints are anticipated to continue through 2026, posing ongoing challenges for humanitarian operations in the Central African Republic. The persistent gap between humanitarian needs and available resources means that difficult decisions will continue to be necessary regarding prioritization and resource allocation. Despite these fiscal pressures, the Central African Republic Humanitarian Fund (CAR HF) plans to maintain its strategic focus for the upcoming year, building on the successes and lessons learned from 2025.
The CAR HF will continue to prioritize localized, accountable, and proximity-based responses in 2026. This approach aims to ensure that humanitarian assistance remains closely connected to the needs of affected communities, building upon the localization efforts seen in 2025 where national and women-led organizations played significant roles in service delivery. By empowering local actors and integrating their knowledge, the Fund seeks to enhance the relevance and effectiveness of aid. The sustained emphasis on these principles reflects an ongoing commitment to empowering local actors and improving the efficiency and relevance of aid delivery in a resource-constrained environment, ensuring that every dollar allocated has the greatest possible impact on the lives of those in need. The Fund remains dedicated to working collaboratively with all partners to address the acute humanitarian needs across the Central African Republic.
