The Central African Republic is one of the poorest countries in the world and months of conflict have had a severe impact on the population. From December to March an uprising swept across the country and led to the ousting of the previous government amid violent scenes in the capital Bangui on 24 March. The new Seleka ruling coalition has faced numerous law and order challenges with looting and unrest continuing amid a widespread collapse of economic activity. In the midst of the heavy fighting the ICRC appealed to those engaged in hostilities to spare the civilian population and supplied first-aid equipment, disinfectant and fuel to help Bangui's hard-pressed hospitals to stay functioning. With relative calm returning to Bangui attention has shifted to the plight of the rural population, where thousands of those who have fled their homes have been without adequate shelter, food and medical treatment for up to five months. The ICRC's head of delegation in Bangui, Georgios Georgantas, outlines the impact that conflict has had on the lives of ordinary people, underlines the need for a return to stability and speaks about the need to ensure humanitarian organizations have sufficient funds for their vital work in a country that is often far from the front pages.
