STANDING ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SECURITY QUESTIONS IN CENTRAL AFRICA TO HOLD THIRTEENTH MINISTERIAL MEETING AT N"DJAMENA, CHAD

Press Release
DC/2694

STANDING ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SECURITY QUESTIONS IN CENTRAL AFRICA TO HOLD THIRTEENTH MINISTERIAL MEETING AT N’DJAMENA, CHAD

The United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa will be holding its thirteenth Ministerial Meeting in N’Djamena, Chad, from 2 to 6 May.

The Committee, which was established on 28 May 1992, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 46/37 B on regional confidence-building measures, is made up of the 11 member States of the Economic Community of the Central African States, namely Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe. Its major goals are to develop confidence-building measures and to promote arms restraint and development in the central African subregion. The Committee meets at least twice a year at ministerial level. Participation in ministerial meetings is open to members only. In addition to the ministerial meetings, it also organizes conferences, seminars and workshops on various issues related to peace and security in the central African region.

Since its establishment, the Committee has adopted a number of important decisions, such as the Non-Aggression Pact of 1996 and the Pact for Mutual Assistance of February 2000. In addition, over the years, the Committee has established a number of structures aimed at promoting peace and security in the central African region, such as the Council for Peace and Security of February 1999, the Early-Warning Mechanism headquartered in Libreville, Gabon, the Subregional Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, headquartered in Yaounde, Cameroon, and the Subregional Parliament headquartered in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

The agenda of this meeting includes, among other items, the current geopolitical situation and security in central Africa; inter-State cooperation in the area of peace and security; evaluation of the implementation of previous decisions and recommendations of the Committee; examination of the implementation of the recommendations of the Subregional Conference on the Proliferation of and Illicit Circulation of Small Arms in Central Africa, held in N’Djamena from 25 to 27 October 1999.

Currently the Bureau of the Committee is constituted as follows: President, Chad; First Vice-President, Burundi; Second Vice-President, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Rapporteur, Central African Republic.

* *** *