This quarterly performance report describes achievements realized under USAID’s AMPR project in CAR between January 1 and March 31, 2021. Following the January 13 attack on the outskirts of the CAR’s capital, Bangui, by the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), an armed group opposed to the December 27, 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections, the implementation of program activities during this quarter was greatly reduced. On January 18, the Government of the Central African Republic (GoCAR) declared a 15-day state of emergency and curfew from 5 AM to 6 PM to aid in its crackdown on armed groups. Towards the end of January, the State of Emergency and curfew were extended to six months. Due to the precarious security situation in CAR’s interior, AMPR’s three field offices remained closed. The field-based staff has been assigned technical and administrative tasks to complete while in Bangui. The return to Bangui for the AMPR Chief of Party (COP) and the Finance and Administration Manager (FAM) was delayed until the end of January, when the security risk was deemed acceptable.
The AMPR Technical Deputy and COP held conference calls with the AMPR technical team in Bangui to review Year 3 Work Plan. The team identified field-based activities impacted by the insecurity in CAR’s interior. The timelines to implement these activities were shifted to Q3, subject to improved security and the ability of AMPR’s staff to safely return to the field. In the meantime, activities that can be implemented from Bangui were prioritized. Representatives from AMPR, EU Strengthening the governance of CAR’s artisanal diamond and gold mining sectors (GODICA), and the WB participated in a technical coordination call in January convened by the AMPR Project Manager. Following deliberations on the CAR electoral process and security situation, they agreed to suspend field activities in light of the fragile security situation in CAR’s interior until after the presidential inauguration on March 30. Throughout the quarter, AMPR’s home office project management team has been in constant communication with the project’s expatriate and local staff in CAR.