Security Council Press Statement on Central African Republic
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Raimonda Murmokaitė (Lithuania):
The members of the Security Council welcomed the holding in Bangui, from 4 to 11 May 2015, of the National Forum on reconciliation and the inclusive grass‑roots level consultations that gathered views of local citizens in advance. They welcomed the inclusive and comprehensive manner in which this Forum was held, in particular by ensuring the full, effective and equal participation of women.
The members of the Security Council commended the adoption of the Republican Pact for Peace, National Reconciliation and Reconstruction, including, inter alia, commitments for a swift presidential and legislative electoral process, decentralization and a reinforced judiciary. They further commended the signature of an agreement on the principles for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, as well as an agreement by which armed groups committed to end the recruitment of child soldiers and liberate all children associated with the conflict from their ranks.
In this regard, the members of the Security Council welcomed the release of more than 300 children, including several under 12 years old, by anti-Balaka and the ex-Seleka armed group.
The members of the Security Council congratulated the people of the Central African Republic, the Transitional Authorities and the armed groups who participated as signatories of these critical agreements. They called on all armed groups to follow through on these commitments without delay.
The members of the Security reiterated their support to the Transitional Authorities under the leadership of Catherine Samba-Panza as Transitional Head of State, and strongly condemned the attempt by some armed elements to use violence, including directed against the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) peacekeepers, at the closing of the Bangui Forum.
The members of the Security Council urged the Transitional Authorities, with the support of the United Nations and the international community, to implement the Forum’s recommendations without delay.
The members of the Security Council urged, in particular, the Transitional Authorities, as well as the National Elections Authority, in accordance with the transitional national charter and the “Pacte Républicain” adopted at the Bangui Forum, to organize as a matter of urgency, and as soon as possible and over the whole territory, the constitutional referendum and the free, fair, transparent and inclusive presidential and legislative elections currently scheduled to take place by August 2015, ensuring the full and effective participation of women, internally displaced persons and Central African Republic refugees, the voluntary return of whom should be an important objective.
The members of the Security Council called on Member States and international and regional organizations to urgently provide support to the Transitional Authorities for the conduct of the transition and subsequent reforms, including voluntary contributions for the payment of salaries and other needs for the restoration of the State authority over the whole territory, as well as for the holding of elections through the United Nations trust fund, for the upcoming disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration, and security-sector reform programmes, and for the restoration of the judiciary and the criminal justice system, including the Special Criminal Court.
They called on the United Nations Secretariat and MINUSCA to swiftly begin implementation of a comprehensive and credible disarmament, demobilization and rehabilitation programme as a matter of priority to consolidate security gains ahead of the upcoming elections.
The members of the Security Council emphasized that the continued role of the region, including the Mediator and the Chair of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), as well as the African Union and the United Nations as members of the mediation, will be critical for the promotion of lasting peace and stability in the Central African Republic, and called upon the international community to continue to support the people and Transitional Authorities of the Central African Republic.