Bozize assures humanitarian workers on security

Central African Republic leader Francois Bozize told officials of a humanitarian NGO that is planning medical aid to the north of the country that their security was assured, government-run Radio Centrafrique reported. The assurance was given during a meeting between Bozize and officials of Cooperazione Internationale (COOPI), an Italian NGO. "He has reassured us very much, saying that the restoration of security topped his government's priorities", Enerico Colombo, a COOPI official, told the radio after their meeting with Bozize. Colombo said COOPI presented its medical project to Bozize, detailing how the NGO planned to support health structures in Ouham and Ouham Pende provinces in northern CAR. Both provinces were badly affected by a six-month rebellion that pitted fighters loyal to Bozize against forces of the then president, Ange-Felix Patasse. Bozize comes from Ouham Pende. During the rebellion, the east was totally cut off from supply routes. The rebellion ended when Bozize ousted Patasse in a coup on 15 March. Patasse is currently in exile in Lome, the capital of Togo. "The major problem for the implementation of this project remains security," Colombo said; adding that the EC Humanitarian Office, ECHO, would financially support the project. Although provincial governors have been named, some have not reported to their stations. This has encouraged armed robberies and discouraged those displaced by fighting from returning home. A UN humanitarian mission that toured the north of the country between 2 and 6 May urged the government to reassure both humanitarian workers and the population by sending the newly appointed governors to their posts. COOPI announced the medical assistance project three weeks before another NGO, Medicos Sin Fronteras (MSF-Spain), winds up its emergency programmes in the region. MSF-Spain has been supporting 21 health facilities in the war-torn north. It announced recently that it would end its emergency programmes and embark on other activities, yet to be determined. COOPI and UN agencies are due to take over MSF programmes in the north. COOPI is expected to handle health activities in the north while the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is to cover six provinces in the east. With a combined population of 890,000 people, the six provinces in eastern CAR started receiving drugs that UNICEF provided last week.