PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Following is the text of today's press statement on the Central African Republic by the President of the Security Council, Wang Yingfan (China):

Members of the Security Council listened to the briefing by General Touré, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic, and discussed the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in the Central African Republic.

Council members voiced their support for the efforts of General Touré and the Secretary-General as well as the work of BONUCA (the Office of the United Nations in the Central African Republic).

Council members emphasized the critical importance of alleviating poverty and ending the violence in order to restore peace and stability in the Central African Republic and the region as a whole.

Council members condemned the attempted coup in May and the killing of the United Nations security coordinator in Bangui yesterday, and expressed condolences to the bereaved family.

Council members called for the respect of human rights, national reconciliation and political dialogue in the Central African Republic.

Council members called on the international community to increase assistance to the Central African Republic and stressed that international assistance would be more effective if supplemented by appropriate structural reforms.

Council members expressed their readiness to conduct further review of the situation in the Central African Republic, with a view to adopting a presidential statement as early as possible.

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