Security Council Press Statement on Central African Republic
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Anatolio Ndong Mba (Equatorial Guinea):
The members of the Security Council heard a briefing on the Central African Republic by the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, on 7 February 2019.
The members of the Security Council welcomed the signing of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic by the Central African Republic authorities and 14 armed groups in Bangui on 6 February 2019, after the peace talks that took place in Khartoum, Sudan, from 24 January to 5 February 2019 within the framework of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic and under the auspices of the African Union.
The members of the Security Council expressed appreciation to the Central African Republic stakeholders, including the representatives of civil society, political parties and religious organizations, for their commitment and considered the signing of this peace agreement as an important step towards lasting peace and stability in the Central African Republic and the full restoration of State authority throughout the country.
The members of the Security Council commended the African Union for its leadership role in the peace and reconciliation process and the peace talks held in Khartoum, as well as the valuable contribution and support of the United Nations. They also commended the role played by Sudan in hosting and supporting the peace talks, as well as the continued commitment of other neighbouring countries and regional organizations that are part of the Panel of Facilitators of the African Initiative.
The members of the Security Council urged the Central African Republic stakeholders to implement the peace agreement in good faith and without delay in order to meet the aspirations expressed by the people of the Central African Republic to peace, security, justice, reconciliation, inclusivity and development, and underlined the importance that implementation is conducted transparently and with the participation of civil society organizations, including women and youth. They also reiterated their support for President Faustin Archange Touadera and encouraged him to cement and broaden national ownership of the peace agreement. They welcomed in this regard the agreement on the establishment of a follow-up mechanism to support the implementation of the peace agreement with the participation of Central African Republic stakeholders, at the national and local level, and international partners of the Central African Republic.
The members of the Security Council urged armed groups to cease all forms of violence against civilians, United Nations peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel, destabilizing activities, and restrictions on freedom of movement of people and on delivery of humanitarian assistance, and to lay down their arms, immediately and unconditionally, in line with their commitments under the peace agreement. They also underlined in this regard the urgent need for the effective implementation of the Central African Republic authorities’ disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme.
The members of the Security Council reiterated the imperative need to hold accountable those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, including those committed against children and those involving sexual and gender-based violence in conflict, and stressed that the fight against impunity shall also be addressed through transitional justice mechanisms in a way that contributes to efforts towards sustainable national reconciliation.
The members of the Security Council called on neighbouring countries, regional organizations, and all international partners to support the implementation of the peace agreement and to coordinate their actions in order to bring lasting peace and stability to the Central African Republic.
The members of the Security Council expressed their intention to follow further developments in the implementation of the peace agreement closely and reiterated their support for the [United Nations] Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) to continue to assist the Central African Republic authorities and the people of the Central African Republic in their efforts to bring lasting peace and stability in the country, as mandated by the Security Council in resolution 2448 (2018).