Coordinator of Panel of Experts on Central African Republic Briefs 2127 Committee Members on Panel’s Progress Update

On 23 February 2018, 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, which was submitted in pursuance of paragraph 28 (d) of resolution 2339 (2017). 

In his briefing to members of the Committee, the Coordinator of the Panel provided an overview of the progress update and highlighted its main findings, including those with regard to the security and humanitarian situation, political process, cross-border arms and ammunition trafficking and the implementation of the sanctions measures.

The Panel reported that the security situation in the east, the north-west and south-east of the country remained volatile and greatly impacted civilians forcing them to seek refuge in IDP (internally displaced person) camps and flee to the neighbouring States, such as Cameroon, Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  The Panel further reported that the panel of facilitators of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic had advanced the implementation road map endorsed by the African Union in Libreville in July 2017, and had launched the second round of consultations with 14 armed groups in late February 2018.  In this connection, the Panel observed that armed groups continued to strengthen their grip over large parts of the Central African Republic territory with a view to increasing their leverage in the political process.  The Panel also provided information on arms- and ammunition-trafficking from neighbouring States and underlined that the trafficking in natural resources, including of ivory from Dzanga Sangha Special Reserve, had continued during the reporting period.  Finally, the Coordinator stressed that sanctioned individuals Nourredine Adam and François Bozizé had continued to violate the travel ban, the latter reportedly using a diplomatic passport issued by South Sudan (Please see Press Release SC/13212).

Members of the Committee welcomed the progress update and took note of the Panel’s recommendations contained therein.  They also supported the priorities of the Committee’s work in 2018 as outlined by the Chair of the Committee and encouraged the Panel to continue its investigations in line with its renewed mandate in pursuance of resolution 2399 (2018).