Security Council Extends United Nations Mission in Central African Republic, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2759 (2024)
The Security Council today decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) until 15 November 2025, mandating it to advance a multi-year strategic vision to create the political, security and institutional conditions conducive to national reconciliation and durable peace.
Unanimously adopting resolution 2759 (2024) (to be issued as document S/RES/2759(2024)), the 15-nation organ, acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, decided to maintain current troop levels of up to 14,400 military personnel, 3,020 police personnel and 108 corrections officers.
By the terms of the resolution, the Council identified the Mission’s priority tasks as protection of civilians; support for the extension of State authority, the deployment of security forces, and the preservation of territorial integrity; good offices and support to the peace process, including the implementation of the ceasefire and the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation; facilitation of the immediate, full, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance; and protection of United Nations personnel and installations.
Also by the text, MINUSCA was granted authorization to carry out a range of other tasks, including promotion and protection of human rights; assisting in the follow-up of the recommendations of the 2022 Republican Dialogue and preparation for local, presidential and legislative elections in 2025 and 2026; security sector reform; disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation efforts; and support for national and international justice, the fight against impunity and the rule of law.
Urging all parties to the conflict to respect the ceasefire announced on 15 October 2021 and calling on the Central African Republic Government and other signatories to fully implement the Political Agreement, the Council also encouraged the Government to cement and broaden national awareness and ownership of the peace and reconciliation process, including its extension at the local level, recalling the crucial role of political parties, including the opposition and civil society organizations. In that vein, it urged the Government and all national stakeholders to ensure the preparation of inclusive, free and fair elections in 2025 and 2026.
In addition, the Council requested MINUSCA to consider the environmental impacts of its operations when fulfilling its mandated tasks, noting the United Nations Department of Operational Support’s Strategy “Way Forward: Environment Strategy for Peace Operations 2023–2030”, which emphasizes good stewardship of resources and a positive legacy of the mission.
It also requested the Secretary-General to review and report on a regular basis the conditions required for the transition, drawdown and withdrawal of MINUSCA.
The representative of the Russian Federation, speaking after the vote, stated that her delegation did not support several elements in the text, including its references to the so-called International Criminal Court, which she characterized as a “dubious pseudo-judicial structure” that has long become the embodiment of double standards and ineffectiveness rather than anything to do with justice. Rather than leading to the establishment of peace, the institution merely pushed forward the interests of its Western backers, she said, citing its failures in cases involving Libya and Darfur. “If anyone can effectively fight impunity without politicization and double standards, it is national courts,” she stressed. Moreover, she also urged fellow Council members not to mix up key provisions of resolutions with inappropriate references to internal documents of the Secretariat on environmental issues. Voicing support for increased domestic procurement for the Mission, she called for mandates to be clear and structured rather than resemble so-called Christmas trees.
The representative of China, noting that political and peace processes in the Central African Republic are at a critical stage, said that MINUSCA’s mandate renewal is conducive to creating a favourable external environment for the smooth conduct of the elections in 2025. Therefore, China supported this resolution. Highlighting the Secretary-General’s report on the independent strategic review of the Mission’s activities, he expressed hope that the Council will listen to Kigali’s views and will better align MINUSCA’s priorities with the Central African Republic’s national development strategies. Also noting that reasonable viewpoints of some Council members have not been taken on board, he stated: “We hope that, going forward, penholders will listen carefully and fully to the views of countries concerned” and demonstrate a willingness to build broader consensus.
Algeria’s delegate, also speaking for Guyana, Mozambique and Sierra Leone, said that the group was in favour of renewing the mandate, as it is vital in advancing the UN stabilization mandate in the Central African Republic. Its presence helps support the positive security developments attained by the Government in recent months, he said, also underlining its important role in implementing the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic and the Luanda Roadmap, as well as in helping expand State authority and assisting transitional justice mechanisms. However, he voiced disappointment in the Council’s inability to adopt stronger language on the issue of local procurement and expressed hope that such language, in operative paragraph 20, can be strengthened in 2025.
Welcoming the unanimous renewal of MINUSCA’s mandate, the representative of the Central African Republic stressed that the upcoming elections are crucial for guaranteeing accountability at the local level and for promoting and fostering a better understanding of the peace process. “Decentralization is a guarantee of lasting stability of our country,” he noted, urging the international community to support the local elections. Observing that the resolution considers a need to ensure and foster procurement with local businesses and to use locally available resources in construction projects headed up by MINUSCA, he said that the UN country team’s support is decisive in helping local businesses access the markets. Pointing to the Mission’s multidimensional functions, he said that MINUSCA needs to prioritize local procurement.
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