June 22, 2022
I thank the Special Representative for the Central African Republic and Head of MINUSCA, Valentine Rugwabiza, for her briefing and wish her all the best on assuming her duties.
We welcome and deeply appreciate Ms. Ekomo for her valuable presentation, and welcome to this meeting the representative of the Central African Republic.
I will now turn to three main issues:
First, the political situation. We take note of the Republican Dialogue held last March. This was a step in the right direction, which will require further inclusivity, guaranteeing a structured participation of representatives from civil society and the opposition.
We also note the postponement for January 2023 of the local elections scheduled for September 2022, due, among other things, to a lack of funding. We join the call of SG to mobilize the necessary financial means.
Second, the dire security situation. Despite a slight decrease in security violations of the Political Agreement, we are alarmed about the spike of activities of armed groups and by the national forces’ recruitment of anti-Balaka and dissident UPC combatants as proxies. Furthermore, attacks against the Fulani community, the repeated human rights violations and sexual violence committed by armed forces, as well as national defense forces and mercenaries, namely the Wagner Group, is an alarming fact to witness.
Perpetrators must be brought to justice. Albania commends the launching of the first trial of the Special Criminal Court, as well the adoption by the National Assembly of the law abolishing the death penalty.
As regards the arms embargo, we encourage the CAR Government to meet all benchmarks on its way toward full compliance and in the reform of its security sector. It is important for CAR Authorities to have full control over the tracking of these weapons.
Third, all of these challenges demand genuine political will, which evokes a renewed commitment to revitalizing the Political Agreement through the ICGLR roadmap. As much was attested by the outcome of the meeting held on 4 June in Bangui between CAR, and international and regional partners, including Angola and Rwanda.
Albania calls on the national authorities to continue its engagement with armed groups under ICGLR roadmap for the participation of the remaining 3,000 estimated com