Coordinator of Experts on Central African Republic Briefs Security Council Committee Members on Panel’s Progress Update

On 17 February 2017, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic held informal consultations to consider the progress update of the Panel of Experts, submitted in pursuance of paragraph 23(d) of resolution 2262 (2016).

In his briefing to members of the Committee, providing an overview of the progress update, the Coordinator of the Panel stressed that the security situation in the centre of the country had further deteriorated as ex-Séléka factions led by the Front populaire pour la renaissance de la Centrafrique had intensified fighting against the Union pour la Paix en Centrafrique over control of territory and natural resources.

The Panel reported that arms- and ammunition-trafficking from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad and potentially from South Sudan, had further fueled the violence.  However, it acknowledged that Sudan’s efforts in countering arms-trafficking on the Central African Republic-Sudan border had yielded some tangible results.  The Panel observed that yet another cause for the escalation of violence in the centre and north of the country was the recruitment of fighters from neighbouring States by armed groups in the Central African Republic.  The Panel also provided information on reported travel-ban violations by sanctioned individual Nourredine Adam, as well as the lack of political will to implement the asset freeze by the Central African Republic authorities.  The Panel underscored the importance of all mediation initiatives by regional States and subregional organizations being undertaken in compliance with travel-ban exemption procedures in pursuance of Security Council resolution 2339 (2017).

Members of the Committee welcomed the progress update and expressed support for the Panel’s recommendations as set out in the Coordinator’s statement.  They encouraged the Panel to continue its investigations in line with its renewed mandate in pursuance of resolution 2339 (2017).