The socio-political situation in the CAR at the center of exchanges between the AU, the EU, the UN, ECCAS and the presidency of the CAR.

Libreville (Gabonese Rep.), June 08, 2020 – The socio-political situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) was the subject of a high-level meeting, by videoconference, between their Excellencies Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Deputy Secretary General of the Nations United to Peace Operations, Smail Chergui, Commissioner of the African Union Commission in charge of Peace and Security, Joseph Borrell, High Representative / Vice-President of the Delegation of the European Union in CAR, the Ambassador Ahmad Allam-mi, Secretary General of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) around the President of the Central African Republic, Professor Faustin-Archange Touadéra.

The tour de table took place mainly on four themes, as the African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security was able to set the scene. Smail Chergui:

• The electoral process in CAR;

• The fight against the Covid-19 pandemic;

• The implementation of the Peace Agreement;

• And the fight against fake news and their impact on the electoral process.

Unanimously, the speakers have:

1. Welcomed The thirteenth peace agreement in the Central African Republic or the Khartoum accord, signed on February 6, 2019 between the Central African government of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra and fourteen Central African armed groups;
2. Urged the Central African government and the President of the Republic to respect the constitutional dates setting the electoral calendar;
3. Encouraged the President of the CAR for the initiation of political dialogue and wished its extension to all socio-political layers of the country, as well as to refugees and displaced persons;
4. Strongly expressed their systematic rejection of violence and impunity;
5. Reaffirmed their support for the measures taken by the government to mitigate the adverse effects of Covid-19;
6. Strongly condemned the proliferation of truncated and / or false information known as fake news in the country.

The African Union will never accept that hard-won peace and stability be called into question, insisted the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security;

The Secretary General of ECCAS hailed the efforts made by the AU and the EU to implement the sanctions provided for in the Peace Agreement. Ambassador Allam-mi insisted on his solidarity with the CAR government to organize free, transparent and inclusive elections within the timeframe required by the constitution.

“The European Union welcomes the action taken by the Special Criminal Court, following the recent arrests of elements of armed groups in Ndélé and Obo, implicated in serious human rights violations and crimes potentially constituting war crimes and crimes against humanity ”, declared the High Representative / Vice-President of the Delegation of the European Union in the CAR.

“The European Union also wishes to commend the action of MINUSCA, within the framework of the temporary emergency measures foreseen by the mandate of the Mission.

These operations come at the same time as the launch by the Central African Government of the Sector Policy for Justice, a far-reaching reform that the European Union has decided to support to the tune of 15 million euros. This support will be entrusted directly to the Central African Government in the form of budgetary aid, linked to progress in the effective implementation of the reform. “, Added H.E Mr. Joseph Borrel who concluded that the EU and France organized a humanitarian airlift in response to COVID-19 and that the Central African Republic was the first state to benefit from this solidarity mechanism.

In May 2020, the European Union and France transported to Bangui by several flights 40 tons of equipment: surgical masks and protection for health workers, hydro-alcoholic gel, oxygen tanks and other medical equipment and nearly 70 humanitarian personnel arrived on board the first flight to strengthen the country’s efforts in its fight against Covid-19.

In turn, the President of the Central African Republic (CAR) said he was strongly committed to working for peace in his country.

He thanked all these partners for the unwavering support they are providing to his country, support that should enable it to move forward to complete the process of return to peace and that of DDRR (Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Refugees ), because, he stressed, the armed groups do not respect the Peace Agreement.

President Touadéra hoped that the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA) would benefit from operational capacity building by providing it with air resources.

President Touadéra hoped that CAR’s partners would be able to deploy observers during the elections, the organization date of which remains the one set by the constitution, that is to say in December 2020.