Despite four years of international efforts and negotiations, Côte d'Ivoire remained politically and militarily divided after a political-military crisis erupted in September 2002. Humanitarian and socio-economic indicators continued to deteriorate and funding to meet the needs of vulnerable groups remained low and uneven between sectors, affecting adequate and timely response. Since 2002, the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) of Côte d'Ivoire had not been adequately funded while some sectors remained underfunded.

Following an outbreak of violence in Guiglo in January 2006, during which humanitarian actors registered huge losses, Côte d'Ivoire was among the first pilot countries to access the grants from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

In 2006, 13 projects were funded by the CERF for an amount of $5,752,272 (six projects from the rapid response window and seven projects from the underfunded window) to respond to serious challenges within the protection, social, health and sanitation sectors.

Click here to download the full 2006 CERF report for Côte d'Ivoire.

Rapid response window:
The volatile situation in western Côte d'Ivoire and particularly in Guiglo in January 2006 caused extensive destruction to IOM infrastructures and equipment and consequently hampered IOM capacities to respond to the needs of IDPs. The immediate availability of CERF funding at the critical moments of mid-April 2006 (rapid response window) and September 2006 (underfunded window) boosted IOM's capacity for a rapid implementation of projects. The funds made it possible to save several thousands of lives by providing adequate responses to the needs of vulnerable people, in particular vulnerable children and women, access to basic services, including health, adequate food, and drinking water.

Underfunded window:
The CERF underfunded grant enhanced and strengthened self–reliance, inter-community dialogue and social cohesion in western Côte d'Ivoire , in particular in the Moyen Cavally region, which had been weakened by the armed conflict and recurring inter-community land tenure conflicts.

Meeting of the peace committee of Kaadé [Photo: UN/Côte d'Ivoire]

In the area of protection , IOM field staff (head of field office, protection officer and assistants, water and sanitation and database and IT assistants) conducted regular missions to Guiglo, Duékoué and Bloléquin in order to identify and address the main protection issues. The timely availability of resources, the rapid implementation of the projects and their quick impacts (three months) was a concrete action towards IDPs and affected communities at a critical moment. This has prevented further IDP movements and enabled humanitarian workers to respond optimally to population's needs.

CERF funded projects were monitored by the IOM Head of Mission. The programme coordinator conducted regular monthly field missions to the affected areas.

Monitoring and supervision was carried out in the ten project districts by the District Management Teams. Their supervision was in turn monitored by the Regional Teams for Technical Support. IOM produced a video report on its activities, which was presented to the CERF management in 2006 and posted online, strengthening the Organization's capacity of mobilization and advocacy.

In water and sanitation , UNICEF officers based in Man and San Pedro carried out day-to-day follow-up. The NGOs, DA and CREPA-CI carried out a follow-up mission in February 2007, in which they monitored the work of NGO with the hygiene committees. Progress reports by NGOs were sent on a regular basis after activities have started in villages. A final survey, supervised by the NGO, CREPA-CI was carried out at the end of the project while the district management team participated in the training to ensure supervision.

CERF funding increased the impact of UNICEF's water and sanitation project in the western region of Côte d'Ivoire by allowing sanitation work to be carried out along with clean water activities. The emphasis on hygiene practices should increase the project's effectiveness compared to what would have been obtained from activities limited to water supply.

CERF funds rehabilitated a hydraulic pump in Nicla [Photo: UN/Côte d'Ivoire]

The CERF funds enabled the strengthening and integration of activities of the therapeutic feeding centers (TFCs) of the pediatric services in eight hospitals and the start of these activities in 118 health centers in the health sector. As a result, children under five with malnutrition were treated in a facility close to their home improving the access of malnourished children to health care. The provision of Emergency Obstetric Care remained an area of serious concern, and remained continuously underfunded. CERF funding however helped to address partially this situation.

In the food security sector, the CERF project allowed WFP to continue nutritional support to feeding centers without a shortage of Corn Soya Blend (CSB) and sugar. Some 4,000 vulnerable people including malnourished children, orphans, pregnant and lactating women received complete rations. Malnutrition-affected households were able to diversify their diet and provide complementary food to small children in making gardens. However, due to the short implementation period, no results about the improvement of food consumption, knowledge, good nutrition practices, and number of gardens are available yet. HIV-AIDS affected households from 18 Montagnes and Bafing regions were included in community agriculture project where both affected and non-affected persons are involved. This approach prevented stigmatization of sick people and promoting knowledge and good attitudes towards sick people at village level.

CERF funds gave FAO the opportunity to integrate and develop a nutritional approach. Funds are usually limited in this sector. At the end of the programme, 4,000 vulnerable people received a complete nutrition ration, including CSB as a source of micro-nutriments and sugar. Despite the delay of implementation of the programme, 2,530 malnutrition-affected households are now in a better position to provide a variety of food, based on local vegetable production, according to the crop calendar. The possibility gave 1,409 HIV-AIDS affected households the opportunity to diversify their food intake and earn additional income, which would result in a better integration in the community.

Advocacy activities will be carried out for the PNN (Programme National de Nutrition) to extend rapidly their nutritional programme in Moyen Cavally region, where insecurity and population movements are one of the main causes of the malnutrition situation.

[Last Update: 15 August 2007]

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Click here for CERF in Côte d'Ivoire 2007

Click here to download the 2006 CERF report for Côte d'Ivoire