PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
US: US hails UN Security Council over CAR mission
Washington, DC, US (PANA) - The US has hailed the UN Security Council following Thursday's adoption of the resolution authorising the establishment of a 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping operation in the Central African Republic (CAR) in September 2014.
The US said the UN Integrated Mission in CAR (MINUSCA) would build on the ''strong work and sacrifices'' made by the African Union-led International Support Mission in CAR (MISCA) and French forces, as well as the EU forces that will soon join them.
''The United States is committed to working with the United Nations and the international community to support the efforts of the C.A.R. transitional government to end the violence and build a transitional political process leading to democratic elections by February 2015,'' the US State Department said in a statement.
It recalled that the US has committed up to US$100 million to transport, equip, and train MISCA troops and to assist French forces supporting MISCA.
''We recently announced an additional US$22 million in humanitarian aid for the people of C.A.R., bringing our total in FY 2014 to nearly US$67 million, and US$7.5 million for conflict mitigation, peace messaging, and human rights programs in C.A.R.,'' the statement said.
MINUSCA will have the responsibility not only to protect civilians and establish a safe environment for delivery of humanitarian assistance, but also to help support the reestablishment of governance, assist in election preparations, facilitate the disarmament and demobilization of combatants, assist in reconciliation, promote and protect human rights, and support the formation of accountability mechanisms for those responsible for human rights abuses.
CAR has been thrown into turmoil since the March 2013 sweep into the capital, Bangui, by the Seleka rebels, who toppled President Francois Bozize
Since then, thousands of people have been killed, with about 1.3 million people (a quarter of the population) in need of humanitarian assistance.
PANA reports that the conflict has taken on a religious undercurrent between the predominantly Muslim Seleka and Christian self-defence groups.
Muslim civilians are being targeted by militias in revenge for the seizure of power by mainly Muslim rebels.
-0- PANA SEG 11April2014
The US said the UN Integrated Mission in CAR (MINUSCA) would build on the ''strong work and sacrifices'' made by the African Union-led International Support Mission in CAR (MISCA) and French forces, as well as the EU forces that will soon join them.
''The United States is committed to working with the United Nations and the international community to support the efforts of the C.A.R. transitional government to end the violence and build a transitional political process leading to democratic elections by February 2015,'' the US State Department said in a statement.
It recalled that the US has committed up to US$100 million to transport, equip, and train MISCA troops and to assist French forces supporting MISCA.
''We recently announced an additional US$22 million in humanitarian aid for the people of C.A.R., bringing our total in FY 2014 to nearly US$67 million, and US$7.5 million for conflict mitigation, peace messaging, and human rights programs in C.A.R.,'' the statement said.
MINUSCA will have the responsibility not only to protect civilians and establish a safe environment for delivery of humanitarian assistance, but also to help support the reestablishment of governance, assist in election preparations, facilitate the disarmament and demobilization of combatants, assist in reconciliation, promote and protect human rights, and support the formation of accountability mechanisms for those responsible for human rights abuses.
CAR has been thrown into turmoil since the March 2013 sweep into the capital, Bangui, by the Seleka rebels, who toppled President Francois Bozize
Since then, thousands of people have been killed, with about 1.3 million people (a quarter of the population) in need of humanitarian assistance.
PANA reports that the conflict has taken on a religious undercurrent between the predominantly Muslim Seleka and Christian self-defence groups.
Muslim civilians are being targeted by militias in revenge for the seizure of power by mainly Muslim rebels.
-0- PANA SEG 11April2014
