Update Report No. 1: Central African Republic

Update Report in Word Format • PDF Format

Expected Council Action
The Council is expected to issue a presidential statement in the coming days endorsing the Secretary-General’s proposal to transform the UN Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BONUCA) into an integrated UN presence in Central African Republic (CAR). The mandate of BONUCA expires on 31 December.

Key Recent Developments
The political situation in the CAR has witnessed some improvement over the past three months following the successful convening of the inclusive political dialogue from 8 to 20 December 2008 in CAR’s capital, Bangui. But security concerns have continued, in particular in the north of the country. The dialogue, which was the culmination of two years of strenuous national and international efforts, aimed at achieving a genuine nationally owned vision for building sustainable peace and development in CAR. The meeting brought together about 150 participants from the government and its allied political parties, opposition parties, rebel movements and civil society, and culminated in the adoption of a number of key recommendations spanning political and governance issues, security and socioeconomic matters, including:

• establishment of a broad based government;
• implementation of security sector reform and disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR);
• holding of municipal, legislative and presidential elections in 2009 and 2010;
• holding of independent audits of revenue generating state institutions;
• introduction of measures to identify and indemnify victims of past conflicts;
• implementation of the poverty reduction strategy for the period 2008 to 2011;
• reform of the management of natural resources; and
• development of national human resources.

In line with the dialogue’s recommendation to appoint a government of national unity, CAR President François Bozizé appointed a new government on 20 January.

On 3 March the Secretary-General wrote to the Council recommending that an integrated UN presence should be set up in CAR, against the backdrop of the outcome of the December inclusive political dialogue. He proposed that BONUCA should be succeeded, initially until 31 December 2009, by a UN integrated peacebuilding office to be headed by a Special Representative of the Secretary-General at the Assistant Secretary-General level, with a revised mandate and structure including the following:

• assisting national and local efforts in implementing the dialogue’s outcomes, in particular through support for governance reforms and electoral processes;
• supporting the successful completion of the DDR process and the reform of security sector institutions;
• assisting efforts to restore state authority in the provinces and enhance national human rights capacity and promote respect for human rights and the rule of law, justice and accountability;
• coordinating with and supporting the work of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), “as well as the implementation of the Strategic Framework for Peacebuilding and projects supported through the Peacebuilding Fund”; and
• sustaining support for the UN Mission in CAR and Chad (MINURCAT).

This revised mandate would enable the integrated office to provide enhanced support to stakeholders by coordinating UN development work (provided by agencies) on the ground and lend political support (including supporting national reconciliation and dialogue and assisting efforts to strengthen democratic institutions—key components of the mandate of BONUCA) for various UN programmes in CAR. (On 26 November 2008 the Secretary-General had submitted his latest report on BONUCA in which he recommended the extension of the mission for an additional year. He also conveyed his intention to prepare proposals for an integrated UN presence in CAR. In a letter to the Secretary-General on 23 December the Council renewed the mandate of BONUCA until 31 December 2009 and requested recommendations on setting up an integrated office by 28 February.)

On 10 March the outgoing Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of BONUCA, François Lonsény Fall, briefed the Council on the situation in CAR. Fall said that the successful conclusion of the inclusive political dialogue had provided a window of opportunity for efforts towards consolidating peace in the country. Also, a dialogue follow-up committee and a steering committee responsible for DDR had been established and had engaged the rebel movements as part of the possible implementation of a DDR programme.

Fall, however, noted that there had been heightened tension and unrest in the north of the country, following attacks against government institutions and the military. Responsibility for most of the unrest was attributed to the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace, a rebel group that was not known until these recent attacks and the Democratic Forces for the People of Central Africa, a rebel group which had participated in the dialogue, both of which claimed that the government had reneged on its promise to implement the outcome of the dialogue. Riots had also broken out in Bangui following attacks on the chief of police by members of the presidential guard.

The chairman of the country-specific configuration of the PBC for CAR, Belgian Ambassador Jan Grauls, indicated during the meeting that the dialogue’s proposals were being implemented and the PBC’s strategic framework for CAR would soon be finalised. He echoed the concern about the security situation in northern CAR and indicated that the most pressing issues were preserving the momentum of the dialogue and finalising the disarmament programme. Grauls supported the Secretary-General’s recommendation for the setting up of an integrated peacebuilding office in CAR. Similarly, during the meeting, the CAR permanent representative, Ambassador Fernand Poukrè-Kano, welcomed the proposal for the setting up an integrated UN office in his country.

On 15 March the mandate for the EU mission in eastern Chad and northeastern CAR ended. This force was succeeded by a new UN military component to MINURCAT, which includes 300 troops based in Birao, a town in northeastern CAR. The military presence in CAR is intended to help create the security conditions conducive to a voluntary and sustainable return of refugees and displaced persons. 

Key Issues
The key issue for the Council is how to adequately respond to the Secretary-General’s proposal to set up an integrated UN presence in CAR. A closely related issue is ensuring consolidation of peace and security in the country in light of ongoing serious political, economic and humanitarian challenges confronting CAR despite the peace agreement, including the deteriorating security situation in the northern part of the country.

Options
Options for the Council include:

• endorsing the Secretary-General’s proposals for transforming BONUCA into an integrated UN mission; or
• delaying a decision on the Secretary-General’s recommendations until after a strategic framework for CAR has been finalised by the PBC.

Council Dynamics
Council members seem comfortable with the Secretary-General’s proposal to transform BONUCA into an integrated mission because of the outcome of the inclusive political dialogue, which is seen as positive, and a feeling that an integrated mission is the right tool at this stage to meet the peace consolidation needs of CAR. During the Council’s informal consultations on the matter, following the open meeting on 10 March, members were reported to have been in agreement with the recommendation and tasked France with coming up with a related presidential statement. The Council is therefore expected to approve the setting up of an integrated UN office in CAR.

France is the leading country on this issue in the Council.

Underlying Problems
High levels of poverty and unemployment, together with poorly motivated state security forces, banditry and rebel activity (especially in the northern parts of the country), the proliferation of small arms and lawlessness, impunity and the absence of state authority in large parts of the country continue to pose threats to peace and security in the country. Another key concern is whether CAR may be affected by an influx of refugees from Sudan if the humanitarian situation deteriorates, following Sudan’s expulsion in early March of 13 international humanitarian organisations from Darfur in the wake of the International Criminal Court’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

UN Documents

Other Relevant Facts

Useful Additional Resource

• Mapping of Resources and Gaps for Peacebuilding in the Central African Republic, United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office, 22 December 2008