13 December 2024
President,
I thank Special Representative Abdou Abarry for his birthing. I have listened carefully to the statement of the civil society representative. In connection with the Secretary-General’s latest report, I would like to make the following points.
First, we need to maintain the overall promising trajectory in the regional situation. In the past six months, the situation in Central Africa has been largely stable with positive progress in the political and peace processes, including the constitutional referendum within the time frame in Gabon, the general election successfully held in Rwanda, and the sustained advancement in the peace and reconciliation process in Chad, all of which are developments to be recognized and welcomed. At present, many countries are actively preparing for general or local elections. It is our hope that political factions in the countries concerned will step up dialogue and consultation, bridge differences, consolidate consensus, and steadily advance the political process. The international community should provide timely, targeted, and constructive assistance to support regional countries in pursuing a development path tailored to their national conditions.
Second, we need to support countries in the region in safeguarding common security. The reporting period has seen some easing in the security situation in Central Africa and the overall downward trend in violence in the Lake Chad Basin. Meanwhile, security challenges, including the persistent and grave threat from terrorism, the ongoing threat to regional security by terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, and the emerging spillover of the conflict in Sudan, the prominent problem of weapons diversion, and increasing conflicts over resources are all difficult to be effectively addressed by any single country alone. China supports regional countries in strengthening the concept of a community of common security, deepening coordination on security affairs, reinforcing security mechanisms, and fostering synergy to safeguard regional security. The international community should keep up its investment in security in Central Africa and support countries in the region in jointly buttressing their security defense.
Third, we need to help countries in the region achieve development. For historical and practical reasons, Central African countries are still confronted with prominent development challenges. Expeditiously embarking on the fast track of development is not only an urgent task common to countries in the region, but also the key to breaking the vicious cycle of poverty leading to chaos, which in turn perpetuates poverty. The international community should step up its response to humanitarian appeals for Central Africa while strengthening assistance for the economic development and livelihood in these countries. At the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Corporation held in September this year, China put forward the 10 partnership actions in support of Africa’s development, including granting LDCs zero-tariff treatment for 100% tariff lines among a series of practical measures which will benefit Central African countries and inject strong impetus into the region’s development.
Recently, frequent extreme weather events in Central Africa have caused floods and droughts in many countries, triggering a series of severe consequences such as displacement and food shortage and exacerbating the already daunting humanitarian challenges faced by these countries. Developed countries should honor their latest funding commitments made at COP 29 in Baku, provide practical assistance to Central African countries in tackling the climate crisis, and help them build up their resilience to climate shocks.
President,
Not long ago, the Security Council once again renewed UNOCA’s mandate and issued a presidential statement on the regional situation, the first one since five years ago, which fully reflects the attention and importance the Council attaches to the regional situation. China will continue to support the work of SRSG Abarry and UNOCA. We hope that tjey will leverage their current mandates and resources and strengthen coordination and cooperation with other UN offices, missions in Africa and the country teams on the ground, for greater contribution to promoting peace, stability, development, and revitalization in the region.
I thank you, President.