About the Core Group

Photo: UNHCR


The Core Group

The Core group was officially created during the meeting in Bangui in October 2023 as a supportive body of the CAR-SSP, under the leadership of the African Development Bank (AfDB), who accepted to assume its presidency. 

The Core Group, within the CAR Solutions Support Platform (CAR-SSP), is composed to date of the African Bank for Development (AFDB), the Amahoro Coalition for the African private sector, the European Union’s International Partnerships Directorate General, the Swiss cooperation of CAR, the United States of America's Agency for International Development (USAID/PRM), the World Bank of CAR. They committed to providing action-driven support to the CAR-SSP and creating efficient and effective synergies with governments signatory of the Yaoundé Declaration. 

UNHCR and the African Development Bank as co-chairs of the Core Group, solicited Humanitarian, Development, Peace and Private Sector actors to contribute to the sustainable and peace-transformative solutions for forcibly displaced Central Africans, including refugees, internally displaced persons and returnees.

At the Bangui meeting, the Core group committed to join forces and coordinate efforts to bring about lasting and positive change, in full spirit of the Global Compact on Refugees, and more specifically to:

  1. Support the CAR-SSP: We commit to mobilizing international political will in favour of the CAR Solutions Support Platform, leveraging our respective strengths, expertise, and resources to complement the existing financial and operational efforts to ensure the success of the platform’s functioning.
  2. Foster Collaboration and Synergies: We recognize the importance of collaboration among international partners, and other relevant stakeholders. We pledge to establish and strengthen partnerships, share information and expertise, and engage in regular consultations and joint assessments to develop a coherent and coordinated approach with UNHCR and other humanitarian and development community actors currently supporting durable solutions for refugees, displaced and returned populations in CAR and hosting countries.
  3. Support the CAR SSP’s Concrete Action Plans: We commit to supporting the implementation of regional and national strategic and country action plans and encourage partner governments involved to play an active role in the identification of clear and achievable objectives, activities, and benchmarks for progress. The plans will prioritize sustainable solutions for forcibly displaced Central Africans, considering their multifaceted needs and aspirations.
  4. Mobilize Resources: We recognize the need for adequate financial and technical resources to be shared by all Core Group members to implement the action plans effectively. Through the work of the Secretariat, we will engage with relevant stakeholders and decision makers to mobilize the necessary resources, from a diverse set of state and non-state actors, to support the implementation of the action plans and achieve the desired outcomes. We commit to conduct awareness raising efforts for the CAR situation to promote humanitarian and socio-economic investments towards solutions for forcibly displaced Central Africans.
  5. Monitor and Evaluate Progress: We understand the importance of monitoring the strategic, operational and funding progress. We will work closely with the Platform’ Steering Committee to establish robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that facilitate the measurement of progress, identify challenges, and inform evidence-based decision-making.

By endorsing this joint declaration, it reaffirmed its commitment to concerted and consistent action in addressing the challenges faced by forcibly displaced Central Africans. It undertook to work together towards a future where sustainable solutions and lasting peace become a reality for all those affected.

During the 2023 Global Refugee Forum's High-Level event dedicated to CAR solutions and under the leadership of AFDB, the international partners gathered within the Core group of the platform delivered a joint declaration in which they committed to mobilize further resources to advance durable solutions for the CAR forcibly displaced, in the framework of the platform. AFDB also called upon the international community to join hands on this journey towards sustainable solutions for all those affected by the crisis.