SECURITY COUNCIL PRESS STATEMENT ON CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

 

The following Security Council press statement was delivered yesterday by Council President Marcello Spatafora ( Italy):

The members of the Security Council heard yesterday a briefing by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, François Lonseny Fall, on the situation in the Central African Republic.

The members of the Security Council expressed their concern about the ongoing insecurity in the Central African Republic, which led to a severe humanitarian crisis.  They condemned the ongoing violence by armed groups and called on all those groups, in particular those having signed peace agreements with the Government, to disarm without delay and to respond positively to the Government’s willingness to engage in dialogue.

They welcomed the extension of the mandate of the Multinational Force of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community in the Central African Republic (FOMUC) and the Force’s intention to deploy troops in the north-west of the country in order to respond to the growing insecurity in that area.  They also welcomed the imminent deployment of the European Union operation (EUFOR) to eastern Chad and north-eastern Central African Republic, while the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation (UNAMID) is about to be deployed in Darfur.

The members of the Security Council took note with appreciation of the Government’s preparations for an inclusive political dialogue, in respect for the Constitution, in particular the establishment of a Preparatory Committee to the dialogue.  They urged the Government to hold that dialogue as soon as possible and called for the full participation of all the country’s political and civil society stakeholders.

The members of the Security Council also called on the Government of the Central African Republic to take determined action to protect human rights, promote the rule of law and put an end to the widespread culture of impunity that prevails in the country, particularly among the security forces.  They urged the Government to redouble its efforts to improve public governance, thereby ensuring that the State is better equipped to respond to the country’s pressing social and economic needs.  They emphasized the urgent need for security and justice sector reform.

The members of the Council welcomed the national and international efforts to investigate the crimes allegedly committed in the Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003.

The members of the Security Council expressed their support for the Special Representative and for the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in the Central African Republic (BONUCA), the mandate of which the Council has just extended for another year.  They called on international partners to strengthen their support for the authorities of the Central African Republic within priority areas for peacebuilding.

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For information media • not an official record