Security Council Press Statement on Central African Republic

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Mohammad Masood Khan ( Pakistan):

The members of the Security Council heard briefings by Margaret Vogt, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and by Zainab Hawa Bangura, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, on the situation in the Central African Republic.

The Members of the Security Council welcomed the negotiations held in Libreville 8-11 January 2013 and the signature of the declaration of principle, the ceasefire agreement and the political agreement on the resolution of the crisis, in Libreville on 11 January 2013.

The Members of the Security Council emphasized the necessity of an expeditious implementation of these agreements and called on all parties to implement them in good faith.  They underlined the role of the bodies in charge of following up their implementation.  They stressed that all the parties should be committed to building lasting peace in the Central African Republic.

The Members of the Security Council commended the swift efforts made by the Economic Community of the Central African States, by the African Union and by the countries in the region to solve the recent crisis.  They also expressed their support for the efforts of Special Representative Margaret Vogt, head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic.

The Members of the Security Council urged all parties to allow safe and unhindered access to peoples in need of humanitarian assistance as quickly as possible and to release immediately all civilians being held by armed groups.

The Members of the Security Council expressed serious concerns about reports of human rights violations, in particular reports of the targeting of ethnic minorities and arrests, recruitment and use of children and sexual and gender-based violence.  They emphasized that such activities must cease immediately and that those responsible for such violations should be held accountable.

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For information media • not an official record