The rain-showers at the beginning of February were alarming indications of the potential catastrophic consequences that the start of the rainy season in March could bring. Meetings with all parties involved were scheduled immediately and a contingency plan has been prepared to respond to the health and humanitarian risks that might occur if populations remain in displacement sites after the rainy season begins.

The plan presents three options; the first, and priority one, is to establish conducive conditions in the areas of return. Also aware of the volatile security context, the second and third options involve improving some of the existing viable sites which are not located on swampy ground and re-locating persons to other sites. Research among the IDP population has once again pointed out the extreme feeling of insecurity, with 93.5% of them fearing for their lives if they were to return home. 85% however said they would return subject to improvement of the security situation.

In order to tackle the issues of the upcoming rainy season, the CCCM Cluster in the Central African Republic has finalized a Capacity Building strategy. The strategy focuses on training stakeholders working in and around displacement sites such as site coordinators, managers and facilitators, service providers, authorities, focal points in sites, partner agencies, site committees and IDPs’ representatives. The Capacity Building strategy will also establish a local CCCM training capacity. Seven trainings have been delivered to date to site facilitators from IOM and UNHCR, “chefs de zones” from M’Poko and Don Bosco sites, and staff from PU-AMI and DRC who manage several camps.