SECRETARY-GENERAL, NOTING PROGRESS, URGES CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES TO CONFRONT

‘ENORMOUS CHALLENGES’ TO PEACEBUILDING, RECONSTRUCTION

 

Message to Leaders’ Economic Conference in Brazzaville Commends Region

For Initiatives on Cross-Border Security; Promotion of Peace, Reconciliation

This is the text of a message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today to the thirteenth conference of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of Central African States in Brazzaville, Congo, delivered on his behalf by François Fall, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Head of the United Nations Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BONUCA):

It is with pleasure that I would like to extend to all of you my warm greetings as you meet on the occasion of the thirteenth conference of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of Central African States.  Before I continue, I would like to express my gratitude to President Denis Sassou Nguesso, the Government and people of the Republic of Congo for having accepted to host this important conference.

I would also like to pay tribute to all the member States of the Community, who are tirelessly working in support of the integration of Central Africa, and where regional peacebuilding and socio-political efforts are starting to bear fruit.

In this respect, the progress which has been achieved so far in the process of integration of Central Africa, as well as in the promotion of peace, is encouraging.  The pursuit of your collective efforts in these areas will, among other things, allow the emergence of a common market of more than 120 million consumers.  The emergence of such a space would constitute a major asset for the socio-economic development of the subregion and indeed the entire continent.

It is, however, important to note that numerous obstacles continue to impede the subregion’s progress towards prosperity and the well-being of its people.  In fact, the persistence of several zones of tension in the subregion, including the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the east of Chad and the north-east of the Central African Republic, the illicit circulation of light weapons and small arms, the illegal exploitation of natural resources and the emergence of human trafficking and cross-border insecurity are factors that are hindering the harmonious and rapid realization of the process of integration of Central Africa.  In light of this situation, it is crucial that you pursue joint efforts in order to overcome these enormous political, security and humanitarian challenges.  The United Nations remains ready to support your efforts in this regard.

It is, therefore, with satisfaction that I take note of ongoing dialogue initiatives in Chad and the Central African Republic.  I hope that the effective implementation of the recommendations and decisions from these processes will reinforce national reconciliation, peacebuilding and reconstruction within these two countries of the subregion of Central Africa.

I would like to take this opportunity to underscore that the launching in Yaoundé, last September, of the initiative for cross-border security in Central Africa, occurred at an appropriate moment.  This initiative could enable you to pay particular attention to this worrying phenomenon and to find durable solutions, with the assistance of the international community.

I would also like to welcome the ongoing efforts aimed at making operational the structures of the Peace and Security Council in Central Africa, notably the Multinational Force of Central Africa and the Early Warning Mechanism of Central Africa, in order to allow the Economic Community of Central African States to fully play its role in the areas of conflict prevention, management and resolution, as well as in peacebuilding, in Central Africa.  In this regard, I would like to reiterate the United Nations availability to contribute to the institutional capacity-building efforts of the Community, notably by sharing its experience and expertise in the areas of peace and security.

I would finally like to express the wish that the implementation of the recommendations, which will be adopted at the end of your meeting, will contribute to the rapid stabilization of Central Africa, so that we can all together channel our energies towards the promotion of durable development and the integration of the subregion.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record