Central African Republic: Cash and Voucher Assistance Snapshot (CVA) (1 January - 31 March 2025)

CONTEXT

In a context of declining resources allocated to the humanitarian response in the Central African Republic, between January and March 2025, 10 humanitarian partners assisted 61,700 vulnerable people across 23 subprefectures, with funding amounting to 3.3 million US dollars (USD). This represents only 3.43 per cent of the 1.8 million people targeted in the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan.

Compared to the same period in 2024, the amount of cash assistance provided was reduced by 50 per cent (USD 3.3 million versus USD 6.6 million), while the number of people assisted fell by 59.67 per cent (61,700 compared to 153,000). This decline is largely due to global funding cuts affecting the humanitarian response. Cash plays a pivotal role as a modality of assistance, enabling the delivery of smarter, faster, and more dignified aid. Scaling up cash assistance is a key component of the humanitarian reset as it enhances the efficiency and reach of humanitarian response.

Direct cash transfers became the most widely used assistance modality in the first quarter of 2025, reaching 58,200 people, up from 35,400 during the same period in 2024. This increase underscores the growing relevance and acceptance of cash transfers, as highlighted in the most recent MSNA assessment, where 73% of households indicated a preference for this modality due to its flexibility in meeting diverse household needs. This shift was further supported by improved access to functioning local markets, made possible by a more secure environment, which facilitated the effective delivery and use of cash-based assistance.