Andorra Commits €175,000 to UNICEF for Reintegrating 400 Children from CAR Armed Groups

The Andorran government and UNICEF Andorra have signed a four-year cooperation agreement to fund the reintegration of 400 children linked to armed groups in the Central African Republic, with Andorra committing €175,000.

Foreign Affairs Minister Imma Tor and UNICEF Andorra Executive Director Dàmaris Castellanos announced the deal on Monday. It targets 120 girls and 280 boys under 18, some as young as eight, who have served in roles including fighters, spies, porters, cooks or victims of sexual exploitation amid over a decade of conflict. The funding includes €40,000 this year and €45,000 each of the next three years. UNICEF Andorra will add €400,000 overall, incorporating the government's contribution.

Castellanos emphasized that release marks only the start of reintegration, requiring comprehensive responses to prevent re-recruitment. She highlighted girls' heightened vulnerability to multiple violence forms. Tor called it the ministry's biggest initiative this year and noted Andorra's long-term UNICEF partnership, with child protection in armed conflicts as a cooperation priority. She cited 2025 figures showing 234 children recruited by armed groups in the country.

Around 80% of resources will deliver services for the 400 children, covering family reunification, education access, socioeconomic opportunities, mental health care and psychosocial support via sessions, trauma treatment and referrals. The project will also bolster 10 community protection networks to spot at-risk children and train 30 public officials, NGO workers and civil society members in case management.

Castellanos pointed to challenges in community acceptance, as returnees often face stigma, exclusion or difficulties resuming school and daily life. Recent steps, including 2019 and 2025 peace accords with 16 groups and a 2024 global child release protocol, may enable up to 2,000 releases over the next two years.

The Central African Republic grapples with dire humanitarian issues, such as top global maternal mortality from wrecked health infrastructure, bad roads, drug shortages and staff deficits. A UN report last year recorded 32.3 stillbirths per 1,000 live births there—versus two in Spain—and 92.2 infant deaths per 1,000.

This builds on Andorra's dedication to children in conflict zones and its ongoing UNICEF ties, including with the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.