States of Central Africa Have Shown ‘Political Will, Capacity to Overcome Their Differences in Peaceful Manner’, Special Representative Tells Security Council

States of Central Africa Have Shown 'Political Will, Capacity to Overcome Their Differences in Peaceful Manner', Special Representative Tells Security Council

Spotlighting Central African States' renewed commitment to multilateralism, a senior United Nations official briefed the Security Council today on positive political developments in the region amid ongoing violence and security threats.

Abdou Abarry, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) said that, in Rwanda, the 15 July presidential and legislative elections, according to the observation mission of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), "were held in a peaceful and calm environment". On 29 December, Chad will conclude its political transition, with legislative, provincial and local elections being held to finalize the establishment of the institutions provided for in the Fifth Republic's Constitution. Burundi, Cameroon, Gabon and the Central African Republic will hold legislative or presidential elections in 2025, while Congo and Sao Tome and Principe will hold presidential elections in 2026.

Highlighting their "good working relations" with the UN, he said Chad, Cameroon, Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon and the Central African Republic have all requested UN electoral assistance. Gabon held a peaceful referendum without restrictions on freedom of speech or information, he said, adding that the authorities have accepted more than 30 observer organizations for the process. Meanwhile, in Sao Tome and Principe - "a model of peaceful handovers of power in Central Africa" - the authorities plan to revise the 2003 Constitution to adapt the institutional framework to the country's social and political realities.

In Cameroon, ahead of the 2025 presidential election, Elections Cameroon, the body in charge of organizing the process, has agreed to reinstate 120,000 voters on the electoral roll, who had previously been removed due to biometric data-related issues. However, preparations for elections in Cameroon are taking place against a backdrop of continuing destabilizing activities by separatist groups in the north-west and south-west of the country, he pointed out. Meanwhile, Chad and other countries of the Lake Chad Basin region continue to suffer attacks by groups affiliated to Boko Haram or dissidents. He advocated for strengthening of the Joint Multilateral Force. Noting Chad's role as a host country for more than 1.2 million refugees, he urged funding for the country's Humanitarian Response Plan and regional security plans.

Turning to other regional challenges, he reported that, since the start of 2024, almost all Central African countries have been affected by deadly floods, displacing more than 3.2 million people and exacerbating social and economic tensions. However, despite the Congo Basin Forest's strategic role in global climate regulation, less than 15 per cent of international commitments to Central Africa have been honoured. Also, the region's "worrisome humanitarian situation" is made more complex by the outbreak of the monkeypox, whose epicentre is in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he said. As such, ECCAS, in collaboration with UNOCA, is planning a summit of Heads of State and Government in February 2025.

Notwithstanding these issues, he said: "The States of Central Africa have shown their political will and their capacity to overcome their differences in a peaceful manner." Detailing bilateral efforts to peacefully settle disputes, he said the tripartite summit scheduled for 15 December in Luanda will be another important milestone in the search for a negotiated solution to the crisis in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He voiced hope that Central Africa will in the new year ahead see peace, stability, justice and prosperity, in line with their commitments to a reinvigorated multilateralism.

"Not a day passes in Central Africa without a woman being killed," underscored Daniele Nlate, President of the Central African Women's Active Network and Vice-President of the Central African Civil Society Coalition for Peace and Conflict Prevention. Despite political agendas aiming to fight against gender-based violence, she said: "Gender policies produce mixed results; they are not very effective. Civil society is shunned to the side very quickly."

Noting an upsurge in family violence, feminicide, among others, alongside the multiple crises in the region, she stressed: "It's women and girls who pay the price." According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 65 per cent of women in Central Africa have suffered violence. Moreover, forced marriages and child marriages which are practiced in Central Africa, compound women's vulnerability to violence.

These figures likely underestimate reality as many cases of violence and feminicide are not reported. She noted States' efforts with UNOCA to build the capacities of civil society but stressed that such type of assistance is not enough. She urged the Council's support for funding to enable civil society implementation of efforts in conflict prevention and early warning.

In the ensuing debate, Council members welcomed their unanimous adoption in November of the long-awaited presidential statement on Central Africa, as well as their three-year extension of UNOCA's mandate, which underscore the 15-member organ's renewed support for the key role of the Special Representative and the special political mission in promoting peace, security and development across the region.

The representative of Mozambique, speaking also for Algeria, Guyana and Sierra Leone, called for the provision of adequate financial resources to enable UNOCA to effectively carry out its critical work in addressing cross-border challenges and advancing stability and development in the region. "The political situation in Central Africa remains characterized by a blend of notable progress and challenges that require our attention," he emphasized. The decision by some political actors to boycott the legislative, provincial and municipal elections in December "raises serious concerns about inclusivity and fairness of the process", he said, urging the parties to engage in a constructive dialogue.

Speakers underscored the importance of ensuring the integrity of electoral processes and the protection of human rights. Slovenia's representative stressed: "Arbitrary arrests and detentions of members of opposition parties, journalists, human rights activists and community leaders must end." Elections, to bring stability, must take part in an inclusive and free political space with the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women, and the inclusion of youth and marginalized groups. She encouraged all countries of the region to continue making use of UNOCA's good offices and expertise in support of their electoral processes.

Council members also highlighted how they are promoting peace and stability in the region. The speaker for France, commending the efforts of Bangui to implement the peace process, noted her country's contribution of €2 million to support the organization of local elections in July 2025 in the Central African Republic. Regarding the referendum in Gabon, Japan's representative, noted that his country, through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), supported the organization of a workshop for building capacity of a civil society network to monitor elections. A total of 250 civil society poll monitors were dispatched nationwide on election day to contribute to ensuring transparency.

"For historical and practical reasons, Central African countries are still confronted by glaring development challenges," observed China's delegate. Extreme weather events have caused floods and droughts, triggering displacement and food shortage, he said, urging developed countries to honour their latest funding commitments and provide practical assistance to countries in the subregion. Voicing concern about threats to security, including the spillover of the conflict in Sudan, he said regional countries must strengthen the "concept of a community of common security" and the international community should keep up its investment in the region's security.

The Russian Federation's representative said it is crucial to support regional efforts to counter terrorism. Expressing concern about Boko Haram and ISIL-affiliated groups, he highlighted "the effectiveness of what is being done by the African States within the framework of regional multinational armed forces" and called for predictable financing for them. She expressed reservations, however, about linking climate with issues of peace and security, noting that assistance in climate change adaptation and mitigation is the work of specialized funds and programmes.

"The interplay of climate change with peace and security in the Central African region deserves our attention," countered Malta's delegate. Extreme weather events lead to land degradation, which, in turn, disrupts food security and fuels local conflicts over depleting resources, he said. Pointing to their impacts on local communities and internally displaced persons, he called for integrating climate sensitive approaches into peacebuilding. Such efforts would strengthen resilience building and disaster preparedness within communities, he said, welcoming UNOCA's support for developing a comprehensive regional strategy for peaceful transhumance.

Switzerland's representative said that, under the leadership of his country and Mozambique, members of the Informal Expert Group on Climate, Peace and Security visited the Lake Chad Basin region in December, together with the climate advisers of UNOCA and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS). "We were thus able to see for ourselves the impact of climate change on insecurity in certain parts of this region, and the urgent need for this Council to take action," she emphasized.

Regarding the ongoing violence in Central Africa, the representative of the United Kingdom noted the continued threat posed by Islamist groups in Cameroon's Far North region and across the Lake Chad Basin. He encouraged all States in the region to continue coordinating their responses through the Multinational Joint Task Force. "Multinational cooperation remains the most effective way to tackle these groups which pose a common risk to the subregion."

The representative of the United States, Council President for December, speaking in his national capacity, stressed the importance of building democratic institutions and countering the continuing threats from Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa. Pointing to the tragic conflict in Sudan, he said Chad and the Central African Republic are collectively hosting over 750,000 new refugees, noting his country's provision of robust humanitarian aid to help ensure that the needs of refugees their host communities and others are being met, while pressing the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to expand humanitarian access.

Ecuador's representative said access to development and climate financing requires strengthening national institutions and a commitment to fighting corruption. Highlighting the region's enormous potential, "which could make it one of the development poles of the continent" he said the work of UNOCA is crucial to promoting respect for the rule of law and the consolidation of strong, representative institutions.

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