In Z¨¦mio, in southeastern Central African Republic, humanitarian access depends as much on trust as on security. Freddy Steephen Sodea Ben Gbowe works with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) at the heart of this effort, building relationships with communities, authorities, and armed actors to ensure assistance reaches those in need.
Z¨¦mio is one of the most challenging humanitarian contexts in the Central African Republic. What does the operational reality look like there?
Z¨¦mio is a difficult place to operate. The security situation is volatile, with recurring clashes in and around the town. Movement is very limited, with roads in poor condition, damaged bridges, and during the rainy season, it can take up to three months for trucks to come from Bangui, a 1,000 km distance.
And a few months ago, trucks transporting aid were set on fire, leaving Z¨¦mio without assistance for quite some time.
OCHA is currently the only physically present UN humanitarian entity in the area. That puts a big responsibility on us to not just coordinate but also help create conditions for others to come in and for communities to be protected and assisted.
The situation changes all the time. That¡¯s why constant engagement - with local authorities, communities, and armed actors - is critical if we want to reach displaced families and other people in urgent need.
What does access look like in such a sensitive environment?
A lot of it comes down to dialogue and understanding of the context. I spend a lot of time engaging with different counterparts to explain who we are and what we stand for as humanitarians - especially our principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence.
Because I understand the local dynamics, the languages, and the social realities, it helps prevent misunderstandings. In this area, communities can be closely associated with one party or another to the conflict. Religious sensitivities play a role too. So, if you don¡¯t take all of this into account, it¡¯s very easy not to be trusted.
My role is often about bringing people together - humanitarian partners, authorities, and communities - and maintaining that engagement over time. That¡¯s what makes access possible, even when the security situation is very challenging.
