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SA calls on UNSC members to support CAR’s global peace agreement

Soldiers in CAR
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South Africa has called on members of the United Nations Security Council to fully support the global peace agreement signed by the warring parties of the Central African Republic (CAR) earlier this month.

Council received its first briefing from senior UN and African Union officials since the agreement was signed between the Government and 14-armed groups in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on February 6th.

While the deal has infused the country and international community with hope, similar agreements reached in 2014, 2015 and 2017 all broke down.

Consensus in Khartoum.

After three previous agreements collapsed – in a country at war with itself since 2012 – hopes that this could be a turning point in the history of the country.

Secretary General Special Representative and the Head of the UN Mission to that country Parfait Onanga-Anyanga says: “In this spirit it clearly expresses the will of central African men and women to renew their social contract, reaffirm their deep aspirations to live together in peace and the rich diversity, decrease tensions and create the conditions to raise their country on the most healthy basis in a country where the use of violence as an instrument of conquest or to keep power will be banished together. Thus success of the political agreement is above all the expression of the deep aspiration to take destiny back in hand.”

The implementation of the agreement will be supervised by various monitoring mechanisms that include a broad range of actors – including the UN Mission, civil society, political parties, parliamentarians and critically different religious groupings, given the atrocities by rival Muslim and Christian militias in the country.

“I must stress that this agreement differs on several points from previous ones. First because it reaffirms the support of the signatories for the fundamental principles, those issuing from the constitution of the country and it was wanted and signed by a legitimate government. Then because the government and armed groups signatories, through specific commitments bore witness using their fellow citizens at the region and world as witnesses.”

One fifth of the country’s 5 million-strong population has been displaced while 60% of the population is in need of humanitarian aid.

African Union’s Commissioner for Peace and Security, Smail Chergui says, “We don’t have any illusions. This approach will not work unless the friends of Central Africa, the partners of this kindred country, unite their efforts in response. The real work is beginning now that the agreement is signed. How do we respond to the needs of the people. As I’ve said in certain parts of the country the people don’t know what civilization is, what roads are, healthcare, hospitals. Therefore I’d like to make a solemn appeal to the Council and all of the friends of this country in the region to ask them to help us.”

Pretoria’s envoy Ambassador Jerry Matjila said peace and stability in the entire Central African region remains critical to achieving the AU’s Agenda 2063.

“South Africa supports the concerted efforts by the international community through the AU, UN and regional and international partners to continue engaging in post-conflict reconstruction and development efforts in the country, particularly in support of establishing critical state and institutional capacity in support of governance, judicial and security sector reform.”

The peace agreement viewed as a necessary first step, with the true test of its durability dependent on the good faith implementation of the parties and the support of the international community to one of the poorest countries in the world.

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