Note to Correspondents

High-level Side Event on 20 September to Cement Position of Central African

Republic’s Peacebuilding Process, Development on International Agenda

 

Signalling its recognition of the progress made in the Central African Republic’s peace process in recent years, the international community has stepped up its support for the country’s peacebuilding and development agenda.  Additional support by international partners, in line with the Government’s efforts, is now critical in avoiding a resumption of conflict.

Rising to the challenge, the World Bank and the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission have joined forces in organizing a joint high-level side event on the margins of the Millennium Development Goals Summit and the general debate of the General Assembly.  It will take place on Monday, 20 September, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Conference Room 8 of the General Assembly Building.

By convening an impressive panel of speakers and a high-level audience, the side event aims to strengthen the position of the Central African Republic’s peacebuilding process and long-term development high on the international agenda, and at generating more international support in the present critical phase.

The event will bring together representatives from the Central African Republic and the wider region, as well as current and potential partner countries and organizations.  It will focus on the country’s peacebuilding and development priorities.  It will be co-organized by Jan Grauls ( Belgium), Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission’s Central African Republic configuration, and Obiageli Ezekwesili ( Nigeria), World Bank Vice-President for Africa, in close collaboration with the Government of the Central African Republic.

Participants

Among those taking part will be President François Bozize of the Central African Republic, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and high-level representatives of existing and potential donor countries.  Other participants will be representing the African Union, European Union, International Monetary Fund (IMF), African Development Bank, Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), as well as other interested Member States and regional organizations.

Structure and Speakers

Expected to last 90 minutes, the side event will include opening remarks by Secretary-General Ban, President Bozize and the World Bank’s Ms. Ezekwesili.  Keynote addresses are expected from Sahle-Work Zewde, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Central African Republic; Andris Piebalgs, European Union Commissioner for Development; and a speaker from the African Union (to be confirmed).  Participants will be invited to make interventions, and may use the opportunity to announce new donor contributions.

Outcome

The outcomes of the side event will inform the review of the Strategic Framework for Peacebuilding in the Central African Republic, due to take place later this year.  It may also inform the country’s drafting of a new poverty reduction strategy paper.  The Peacebuilding Commission intends to further strengthen the convergence of the two strategic documents with the Central African Republic’s peacebuilding challenges, and with the ongoing efforts by the United Nations Integrated Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) to develop its own strategic document in support of the country’s peacebuilding efforts.

Contact Details

Additional information on the event’s content can be provided by Permanent Mission of Belgium to the United Nations, Filip Vanden Bulcke, at tel.:  +1 212 378 6371 and e-mail:  filip.vandenbulcke@diplobel.fed.be; and Dan Schreiber, at tel.:  +1 212 378 6389 and e-mail:  dan.schreiber@diplobel.fed.be;  Peacebuilding Support Office:  Philip Helminger, at tel.:  +1 917 367 9716 and e-mail:  helminger@un.org.  World Bank:  Louise Davidson, at tel.:  +1 202 473 5106 and e-mail:  ldavidson@worldbank.org.

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For information media • not an official record