Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 1221th meeting, held on 11 July 2024, on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR).

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling its previous decisions on the situation in the CAR, particularly Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1157 (2023)] adopted during its 1157th meeting held on 13 June 2023;

Reaffirming the solidarity of the AU with the people and Government of the CAR in their aspiration to restore durable peace, security, stability and promote development in their country; also reaffirming the unwavering commitment of the AU in the promotion of national reconciliation and development, as well as the commitment to respect the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of the CAR;

Mindful of the critical role of the AU as a guarantor of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic (PAPR-CAR) signed on 6 February 2019, in Khartoum, Sudan, by the Government of the CAR and fourteen (14) armed groups, and also mindful of the need to ensure the full implementation of the Agreement;

Taking Note of the opening remarks by H.E. Ambassador Miguel Cesar Domingos Bembe, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Angola to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for July 2024, and the briefings by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security and by H.E. Sylvie Valérie Baipo Temon, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Central Africans Abroad of the CAR; and the presentation by H.E. Ambassador General (rtd) Gle Antonio Egidio de Sousa Santos, Special Representative the Chairperson of the AU Commission for the CAR and Head of AU Liaison Office (AULO) in the CAR; also taking note the statements by the representative of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea as Chairperson of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the representative of the Republic of Angola as Chairperson of the international Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the Central African Republic and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCAR), as well as the representative of the European Union (EU); and

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council,

1. Welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic (PAPR-CAR) and the stability prevailing in the country;

2. Commends the CAR authorities, under the exemplary leadership of H.E. President Faustin-Archange Touadera for their commitment and for the intensification of efforts in ensuring that the Agreement is implemented in its letter and spirit;

3. Expresses gratitude to the guarantors of the Agreement, the facilitators, international partners and members of the international community for their continued support for the CAR peace process and underscores the need for ensuring enhanced coordination and complementarity of efforts under the leadership of the AU and ECCAS;

4. Encourages the CAR authorities and all political stakeholders to invest more in confidence-building measures, particularly by keeping the channels of communication open and to create a conducive environment for the successful organization of inclusive, peaceful, transparent and credible local government elections scheduled for October 2024 and, in this context, requests the AU Commission and members of the international community, in a position to do so, to support the CAR authorities in mobilizing the required resources;

5. Welcomes the progress made in the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process of former combatants, which has trained and reintegrated an estimated 2,819 excombatants into their communities, and requests the AU Commission to continue to provide the necessary support the DDR and Security Sector Reform (SSR) programmes in the CAR;

6. Strongly urges all armed groups that have not yet done so, to commit to the peace and reconciliation process; cease hostilities and comply fully with the DDR; urges in particular the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) movement to return to the peace and reconciliation process;

7. Expresses deep concern over the security situation in the CAR, coupled with the attendant humanitarian consequences; condemns all attacks against the population; firmly warns all those responsible for these acts that they will be brought to justice;

8. Notes with concern the dire humanitarian situation in the CAR which is being exacerbated by the influx of refugees of neighbouring Sudan and, in this respect, appeals to all Member States, and the rest of the international community to support the efforts of the CAR authorities in addressing the prevailing humanitarian situation, including mobilization of resources;

9. Encourages the Government of the CAR to take necessary measures to combat the illegal exploitation of the country’s natural resources, particularly mineral resources, and to also ensure more accountability and transparency in the management and distribution of Government revenue;

10. Stresses the need for the CAR authorities to continue to further deepen and strengthen the cooperation and collaboration with the immediate neighbouring countries, in order to more effectively promote national and regional security;

11. Stresses the need for enhancing development projects in the CAR with the full involvement and meaningful participation of youth and women and appeals to all international partners for multifaceted financial and logistical support for the CAR authorities in order to facilitate the successful implementation of the 2024-2028 National Development Plan (NDP);

12. In this context requests the AU Commission, through the AU Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD), to urgently undertake a Technical Needs Assessment Mission to the CAR to identify the priority needs of the Government of the Central African Republic in order to provide the needed support;

13. Encourages the United Nations agencies in the CAR, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as well as other development partners of the CAR, to continue to provide developmental assistance in accordance with the priority needs of the Government of the Central African Republic;

14. Reiterates the call for the total lifting of the arms embargo imposed on the CAR and encourages the African Members in the UN Security Council (A3) to ensure that there is a unanimous position on this matter within the UN Security Council;

15. Decides to commemorate 2024 episode of the Africa Amnesty Month, in Bangui, CAR, to show the AU support for the efforts of the CAR authorities in stabilizing the country; and welcomes the invitation by the representative of the CAR for the PSC to undertake a solidarity field mission to the CAR as soon as possible;

16. Congratulates H.E. Ambassador General (rtd) Gle Antonio Egidio de Sousa Santos, on his appointment as the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission and pledges to support him in discharging his mandate;

17. Welcomes the efforts made by the SRCC Office in CAR, in spite of the institutional capacity constraints and, in this regard, requests the Chairperson of the AU Commission to take steps to further enhance the institutional capacity of the AULO, in order to enable it to more effectively discharge its mandate;

18. Expresses heartfelt condolences to the family, people and Government of the CAR for the pass on of the Permanent Representative of the CAR, H.E. Ambassador Fernand Poukre-Kono; and

19. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

COMMENTS