Sao Tome and Principe to Host Ministerial-Level Meeting of Central African States

 

on Peace, Security, Disarmament Issues, 12-16 March

 

NEW YORK, 11 March (Office for Disarmament Affairs) — The United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa will hold its thirty-second ministerial meeting in Sao Tome and Principe from 12 to 16 March.

The Committee’s primary objective is to promote peace and security in Central Africa through confidence-building measures, notably in the fields of disarmament and arms limitation.  Established by the Secretary-General on 28 May 1992, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 46/37 B of 6 December 1991, the Committee comprises the following Member States: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe.

Succeeding Congo, Sao Tome and Principe will assume the Committee’s presidency for its thirty-second ministerial meeting, which will discuss recent geopolitical and security developments in the subregion, issues relating to crime, including the illegal exploitation of natural resources, maritime piracy and the promotion of disarmament and arms limitation programmes.  The States will also address the impact of climate change on peace and security in Central Africa, and trafficking in persons, among other topics.

In addition, the participants will examine the participation of women in peace, security and disarmament, as well as non-proliferation and arms control activities, pursuant to the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and General Assembly.

Following the opening for signature of the “Central African Convention for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and All Parts and Components That Can Be Used for Their Manufacture, Repair and Assembly” during the last ministerial meeting, the upcoming one will be an opportunity for the States to update on signings and ratifications of the Convention.

Attending the thirty-second ministerial meeting will be ministers as well as high-level civilian and military officials of the Committee’s 11 Member States.  The United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA), United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa, United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa, African Union Commission, International Organisation of La Francophonie and the General Secretariat of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) will participate as observers.

For more information, please contact the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), telephone: +228 253 50 00, fax: +228 250 43 15, email: mail@unrec.org; or visit www.unrec.org.

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For information media • not an official record