“The conflict in the Central African Republic has created a desperate humanitarian crisis in a country where people already face a daily struggle to feed themselves,” said European Union Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva. “There are consequences for the region as a whole. The CAR is at the centre of an immensely fragile region of Africa. Neighbouring countries all have a stake in what is happening in the CAR.”

The CAR which has been devoured by  decades of instability and fighting – witnessed a resumption of violence last December when the Séléka rebel coalition launched a series of attacks. A peace agreement was reached in January, but the rebels again seized the capital, Bangui, in March, forcing President François Bozizé to flee. The recent fighting has further eroded even the most basic services in the country and exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation affecting the entire population of 4.6 million people, half of whom are children. Currently, 1.6 million people are in need of assistance, including food, protection, health care, water, sanitation and shelter.

When these things are continually said especially by the UN, it ticks on my nerve personally as I slip back wondering what are the leaders of Africa doing. Do they truly need someone to remind them of what is happening in their region before they take action. Just few days ago we witnessed the massacre in Kenya as well and as always all hope to get these heartless rogues to book will be on the west.

What really is disturbing is the level of poverty, unemployment and hunger that still hovers over an average African in the wake of the said economic boom in the continent. At what point are we going to have to put politics aside to face a common issue that faces the continent as a whole. At this point in time, I personally do not think Africa still needs the UN or any country to tell them what problems they face with emergency of  violence, and instability. Each nation on their own continue to spend billions of dollars in advertisement campaigns asking foreign investors to come into their nation when what they should be doing was to provide basic infrastructural needs to help grow productivity and businesses at home.

As a plus to the UN, if the leaders are so blind to see, then there’s no doubt you continue doing what you do best by reminding them of their duties whether or not these are acted upon. If Africa must continue to exist, then the entire government of each nation must come together now to tackle the security, economic and social issues facing the continent and that has to be now as stressed by the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos during a high-level meeting held during the 68th session of the General Assembly in New York.

“We must invest in stability and recovery now. Failure to act will prolong and exacerbate the appalling conditions people are enduring and lead to additional threats to peace and security in this very fragile region.”