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CAR

Central African Republic - Report of the Secretary-General (S/2019/498)

Attachments

I. Introduction

  1. By its resolution 2448 (2018), the Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) until 15 November 2019 and requested me to report on its implementation on a quarterly basis. The present report provides an update on major developments in the Central African Republic since my report of 15 February (S/2019/147).

II. Political situation

  1. The early stages of implementing the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic, signed in Bangui on 6 February between the Government of the Central African Republic and the 14 main armed groups dominated the reporting period. While there the security situation improved in some areas, the humanitarian situation remained dire and ther e were isolated incidents of egregious violence. Segments of society publicly criticized the Political Agreement, pointing to concessions to signatory armed groups that continued to perpetrate violence and other exactions against civilians.

Peace process

  1. While some progress was made in the implementation of the Political Agreement, a lack of adherence to its security provisions presented challenges. On 25 February, the President, Faustin Archange Touadera, appointed his former Chief of Staff, Firmin Ngrebada, as Prime Minister. On 3 March, the President and Prime Minister formed a 36-member Government, which included 8 ministerial posts for representatives of armed groups and 3 for opposition political parties. Many armed groups alleged that the Government lacked inclusivity and called upon the guarantors and facilitators of the Agreement to intervene pursuant to its article 34. The African Union invited the Government and armed group representatives for consultations in Addis Ababa from 18 to 20 March under the auspices of its Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union, Smail Chergui, with the support of my Special Representative and Head of MINUSCA, Mankeur Ndiaye, which resulted in a consensus on the allocation of ministerial and other government posts.

  2. On 22 March, President Touadera issued a decree forming a 39-member Government, including 35 ministers and 4 deputy ministers. A total of 25 posts were allocated to persons aligned with the presidential majority, 13 to members of nine armed groups and 1 to the political opposition. Seven women received ministerial positions, as did 12 Muslims.

  3. Armed group leaders were also appointed to key advisory posts in the Presidency, the Prime Minister’s Cabinet and in prefectures and subprefectures. On 24 March, President Touadera issued a decree appointing, among others, Ali Darassa of the Unité pour la paix en Centrafrique, Bi Sidi Souleymane (also known as Sidiki) of Retour, réclamation et réhabilitation and Mahamat Alkatim of the Mouvement patriotique pour la Centrafrique as advisers to the Prime Minister on the temporary mixed security units foreseen under the Political Agreement.

  4. Throughout March, the national youth council protested against the inclusion of armed groups in the Government while many university graduates remain unemployed. On 26 March, the Ministry of Youth suspended all youth council activities after its members had assaulted the Minister. On 2 April, a civil society group demanded that the decrees appointing Mr. Darassa, Mr. Alkatim and Sidiki be revoked given that they were either subject to international sanctions or were foreign mercenaries. The group’s spokesperson was arrested on 18 April for instigating hate and disturbing public order, a move highly criticized by the media and civil society.
    He was released on 21 April.

  5. On 18 February, President Touadera established by decree the national and prefectural level monitoring and implementation mechanisms of the Political Agreement. To date, with MINUSCA support, 11 of 17 prefectural implementation committees are functioning, comprising local authorities, women’s associations, civil society and armed group representatives to serve as dispute resolution, conflict prevention and de-escalation mechanisms and to evaluate the implementation of the Agreement. Ten technical security committees are functioning, with two prefectures having an additional or subordinate committee to assist in monitoring.

  6. On 29 March, President Touadera issued decrees establishing the lega l framework of the Unités spéciales mixtes de sécurité. These units will bring together members of the national defence and security forces with eligible armed group members who have disarmed and demobilized. They are intended to contribute to security for transhumance corridors and mining sites. The operational concept foresees the first phase of training and deployment beginning in June in Bouar and Bambari before scaling up and moving to other prefectures in the centre and east of the country. Effective deployment, however, will likely face significant logistic challenges. In order to prepare for their rapid deployment, MINUSCA continues to support the deployment of the defence and security forces to new areas. The African Union, as a guarantor of the Political Agreement, is planning to deploy military observers, with the assistance of the European Union, to monitor the units.

  7. The Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission Central African Republic configuration visited Bangui from 13 to 15 February, with my Assistant SecretariesGeneral for Africa and for Peacebuilding Support, and members of the Commission to mobilize support for implementing the Political Agreement, following which the Peacebuilding Fund approved $14.8 million in support.

  8. From 14 to 17 April, the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union, my Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations and the European Union Managing Director for Africa conducted a joint visit to the Central African Republic to galvanize international support for the Political Agreement. The delegation met representatives of the Government and civil society in Bangui and travelled with the Prime Minister and diplomatic community to Bambari for the launch of the local implementation and technical security committees for Ouaka prefecture and to Bangassou for the launch of a peace caravan promoting the free movement of people and goods between Bangassou and Bangui. They stressed the importance of having all parties respect the cessation of hostilities and expedite the establishment of the Unités spéciales mixtes de sécurité as a confidence-building tool in the context of the Agreement, and the need for tangible socioeconomic and other peace dividends for the population, who should be engaged as stakeholders in the peace process.

  9. On 17 April, the Government convened the International Support Group on the Central African Republic in Bangui to mobilize international support for the implementation of the Political Agreement, during which it presented 11 priorities, including the cessation of hostilities, the operationalization of the monitoring and implementation mechanisms, the establishment of the Unités spéciales mixtes de sécurité and the disarmament and demobilization of armed groups. President Touadera reaffirmed his commitment to the Agreement and urged armed groups to adhere to their commitments. The International Support Group demanded an immediate end to armed group violence against civilians. It called upon them to participate constructively in implementing the Agreement, including by nominating representatives for the implementation mechanisms and submitting lists of combatants for disarmament, demobilization, repatriation and reintegration and for the mixed security units. It also called upon the Government to create the conditions for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of displaced persons and to improve the participation of civil society, in particular women, in the implementation of the Agreement. To facilitate coordinated international support, the Government was encouraged to develop an implementation road map with a clear timetable.

  10. The executive follow-up committee responsible for providing strategic direction and oversight of the implementation of the Political Agreement held its first meeting in Bangui, on 15 May, co-chaired by the Prime Minister and the Special Envoy of the African Union for the Central African Republic and included the participation of the President and my Special Representative, in addition to representatives of civil society and international partners. Two of the five armed groups in the committee participated, specifically Retour, réclamation et réhabilitation and the Ngaissona wing of the anti-balaka. Discussions focused on the status of implementing the Agreement and ceasefire violations. It was agreed that a coordinated countrywide awarenessraising campaign about the Agreement would be undertaken, with the involvement of political parties, civil society, religious actors and armed groups. The second meeting of the committee, joined by all armed group representatives, was held on 29 May, during which members discussed continuing violations to the security provisions of the Agreement and the need to advance the operationalization of the provisions on transitional justice.

Political developments

  1. On 29 April, the Prime Minister presented a government programme to the National Assembly, which focused on peace, security and justice, economic recovery, politics and good governance, social cohesion and humanitarian action. He also highlighted measures taken by the government to implement the Political Agreement.

  2. The National Assembly opened its first ordinary session on 1 March, focusing on legislation related to the implementation of the Political Agreement, including proposed bills on decentralization and a revised electoral code. On 7 March, the Assembly elected its 14-member executive bureau, which will serve for one year.
    Members of President Touadera’s governing coalition were elected to most core and leadership positions. Only three women were elected, which does not conform with the law on parity mandating a minimum 35 per cent representation of women in State and private institutions for a transitional period of 10 years.

  3. On 23 April, the National Assembly unanimously adopted the electoral code, which significant, in that it establishes the legal framework for the presidential, legislative, regional and municipal elections to be held in 2020 and 2021. Some members of the Government and civil society criticized the bill for failing to ensure the adequate representation of women in accordance with the law on parity. On 5 June, the Constitutional Court decided that the gender parity law was applicable to the electoral code and returned it to the National Assembly, stipulating that the code could not be promulgated until it complied with the Court’s decisions.

  4. The Government and the national elections authority endorsed the initial budget estimate and timeline for the elections, with MINUSCA and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) support. On 5 April, the Prime Minister launched resource mobilization efforts. Of the estimated $49 million required to fund the elections, excluding operational and logistical support, the European Union pledged $17 million, in addition to $3.5 million to promote women’s participation. The Government earmarked $856,000 in 2019 for electoral preparations. During the period, UNDP launched the process of establishing a basket fund for the elections.
    The Government and international partners expressed concern about the limited scope of the electoral support mandate of MINUSCA.

Local dialogue and reconciliation

  1. During the reporting period, the Government established peace and reconciliation committees in Bangassou, Bossangoa, Bouar, Kaga Bandoro, Bria,
    Bambari and Paoua, with MINUSCA support. There are a total of 26 committees, which advance local peace processes and will support the national reconciliation campaign foreseen under the Political Agreement.

  2. On 20 March, the Gambo and Pombolo communities in the Mbomou prefecture signed a local reconciliation agreement following five months of dialogue facilitated by MINUSCA. The signing ceremony marked the first meeting between the communities since recurrent reprisal killings between the Unité pour la paix en Centrafrique and anti-balaka associated militias in 2017. The signatories committed themselves to promoting peaceful dialogue and free movement and to report any violations to the Mbomou prefectural implementation committee.

  3. On 23 March, representatives of Christian and Muslim communities of the Castor and Yakite neighbourhoods in Bangui’s third district signed a reconciliation agreement, committing themselves to ceasing all hostilities, forbidding the ca rrying of firearms by civilians and supporting the voluntary, safe and dignified return of displaced persons. The agreement followed several months of reconciliation efforts led by women and youth leaders, with MINUSCA support, in response to cyclical violence persisting since 2014. The process facilitated freedom of movement, a gradual return of displaced persons and prevented security incidents from escalating.
    The Bearex, Bibale and Fatima communities in the third district subsequently launched similar processes.

  4. On 2 March, the Unité pour la paix en Centrafrique and anti-balaka in Alindao reached a local reconciliation agreement, with MINUSCA support. The Mission facilitated the deployment of 60 Central African armed forces to the area to bolster security and enhanced its own military and civilian presence.

  5. The national committee on the prevention of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity and discrimination organized peace forums in Bangui, Bambari,
    Bangassou, Bossangoa, Berberati and Mobaye in March, supported by the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide. The forums were aimed at raising the awareness of local stakeholders against hate speech or incitement to violence.