CAR: Challenges multiply as elections approach, says senior UN official
New York, US (PANA) - The recent attack on a United Nations patrol in the Central African Republic (CAR), in which a Tunisian peacekeeper was killed, is emblematic of the continuing threat posed by armed groups in the Central African country, the Organization's top representative in the CAR said last week.
At a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the CAR, Valentine Rugwabiza, condemned the incident that hit the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA) the pevious week.
Ms. Rugwabiza, who is also the head of MINUSCA, called on the CAR authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and bring those responsible to justice.
The Special Representative recalled how the CAR, which borders South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - two war-torn nations - is itself a hotbed of conflict, due to its strategic importance, but also to inter-communal tensions and civil unrest within it.
Since 2012, the CAR has been embroiled in a conflict between the predominantly Christian anti-Balaka militia and the predominantly Muslim Seleka rebel coalition, which has left thousands dead and many injured, UN News reported.
Armed groups seized the capital Bangui in 2013, forcing the country's then-president, François Bozizé, to flee.
Following a brief lull in 2015, marked by the holding of general elections the following year, fighting intensified again.
Peace talks began in 2019 under the auspices of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in CAR, led by the African Union (AU) with support from the UN. An agreement was reached the same year in Khartoum and then formally signed in Bangui.
With local, legislative and presidential elections scheduled for 2025 in CAR, Ms. Rugwabiza noted that a “safe, transparent and inclusive” electoral cycle could help address the root causes of the conflict.
According to her, progress has already been made in the preparations, including the successful preparation of electoral lists in 11 of the country's 20 prefectures.
MINUSCA supported the process, ensuring that 98 per cent of registration centres were operational to enable more than 570,000 new voters to register.
However, the head of the mission acknowledged that problems persist, as 58 voter registration centres remain closed for security reasons.
Despite some improvements, Ms. Rugwabiza said instability persists in the CAR, particularly in border areas where armed groups exploit mining sites and transhumance corridors.
She also noted that the ongoing civil war in Sudan further complicates the situation and necessitates enhanced cross-border cooperation.
In this regard, the Special Representative welcomed the recent inauguration of the first multi-service border post in the CAR in Bembéré, built with the support of MINUSCA, an important step in border security efforts, she said.
Six years after the signing of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation, nine of the 14 signatory armed groups have dissolved.
However, some factions remain active and undermine peace efforts.
“There is an urgent need to strengthen political mobilization, particularly on the part of the guarantors, namely the African Union and the Economic Community of Central African States, to facilitate the return of the leaders of these armed groups and their subsequent disarmament in the long term,” Ms. Rugwabiza stressed.
She also called on the Central African authorities to accelerate the establishment of the Truth, Justice, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission (TJRR), stressing the importance of transitional justice and victim accountability.
In the eyes of the head of MINUSCA, security sector reform remains essential for the stabilization of the country.
Ms Rugwabiza acknowledged recent progress in this area, including the creation of a military tribunal in Bouar.
However, “recruiting former members of self-defence groups outside regulatory frameworks risks reversing security gains”.
The senior official also reported human rights violations in the CAR, despite the recent adoption of a national law aimed at protecting human rights defenders.
Ms Rugwabiza called on the government to take decisive measures against impunity.
Portia Deya Abazene, president of the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs of the CAR, highlighted the role of women in the economic recovery of the country.
The President, who addressed the Security Council via videoconference, noted that despite legal frameworks guaranteeing equality between men and women in the CAR, women represent only a small minority of business owners.
Over the past two years, her organization has facilitated the training of more than 2,700 women who have received education in leadership, digital marketing and finance.
“The CAR will not be able to reach its full potential as long as more than 51% of its population – I am talking about women – remains marginalised,” she said.
Ms. Rugwabiza stressed that “the allocation of timely and adequate resources remains essential to consolidate security gains and translate them into concrete improvements in the lives of Central Africans”.
As elections approach and security threats persist, she considered the role of MINUSCA essential in supporting the stability of the country.
However, Ms Rugwabiza warned that without continued political and financial support, the country's hard-won gains risk being reversed.
-0- PANA MA 23Feb2025
