On June 9th, you answered the call to urge the Obama administration to request funding from Congress for the UN peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic (CAR). Well, it worked  – the White House submitted a funding request to Congress this week, which included $278 million for international peacekeeping efforts in CAR.

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Wait, can I have a recap?

The United Nations has been called to respond to the atrocities currently occurring in CAR. Through the LRA isn’t directly involved in the broader crisis in CAR, reports show that Joseph Kony has been taking advantage of the political instability and insecurity in the region. It is very likely that LRA violence in CAR will only escalate if the broader insecurity is not effectively addressed. The UN authorized a peacekeeping mission to help stabilize the country and protect civilians caught in the crossfire of this deadly conflict.

However, in order for the UN peacekeeping mission to be effective, it needs to be funded by donor nations. The United States, having significant financial resources and political leverage, is a key player to help make sure this happens. Additionally, the Obama Administration showed strong public support for the UN’s decision to authorize a peacekeeping mission in CAR earlier this year, so it’s important to follow those statements of support with the resources and leadership needed to make a tangible impact on the crisis.

In order to secure U.S. funding for this peacekeeping mission, Congress must approve those funds in the 2015 budget (which is being decided on over the next few weeks). The inclusion of these funds in next year’s budget had very little chance of approval from Congress without an official request of funding from the administration – specifically the Office of Management and Budget (or OMB). So, getting the OMB to submit a formal funding request to Congress was the first step towards getting money allocated for the peacekeeping mission.

On June 9th, we joined with 22 other non-profit organizations in signing a letter to the Obama Administration (specifically Secretary of State John Kerry and the head of OMB), urging them to request funding from Congress for the UN Peacekeeping mission in CAR. We then asked you all to amplify that letter by tweeting it to OMB like it was your J-O-B.

And you did. Thousands of you tweeted, and the administration responded: a request for $278 million to support the UN peacekeeping mission in CAR was submitted to Congress this week.

So what’s next?

Next up, Congress must approve that funding request in the 2015 budget (hint: we may need your help to make sure that they do that). Stay tuned for updates on our end – and be prepared to raise your voices again!

Any other news?

Actually, yes. Earlier this week, the Obama administration announced a commitment of $51 million in humanitarian aid for CAR. The money will fund humanitarian operations in CAR, specifically food distribution, rehabilitation, and emergency health services. You can also see the other very encouraging steps that the US government has taken to support peace and security in CAR here.