October 23, 2024
Mr. President,
We thank Special Representative Valentine Rugwabiza for her briefing. We are grateful to the head of the CAR Country-Specific Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, the Permanent Representative of Morocco, for his report. We welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of the Central African Republic (CAR) in this meeting.
We note with satisfaction the sustained stabilization of the situation in the Central African Republic. This has become possible specifically thanks to the consistent efforts by the country’s Government with the support from its bilateral partners, including Russia, as well as the United Nations.
Over the last two years, Bangui has managed to overcome the most difficult phase of the fight against gangs, and pushed the threat posed by fighters practically right back to the country’s borders. Now the bandits and those who support them, including from abroad, are primarily exploiting gaps in regional cooperation, namely gaps on border security matters.
The situation in the bordering countries also affects the humanitarian situation in the CAR. Caring for refugees, mainly from Sudan, exacerbates humanitarian needs and increases the burden on the state budget. We join the Secretary-General’s call to ensure that this year’s UN humanitarian response plan for the CAR is fully funded.
In the current context, we also deem it important to ensure systemic assistance for Bangui to return to peaceful life and transform its security gains into progress on the development track. The postponement of municipal elections to next year is one of the most important steps on that path. We stand in solidarity with the Secretary-General’s call to attract donor resources in order to fill the basket fund financing the elections. We believe it is also important to respond in a positive and timely manner to Bangui’s request for the prolongation of UN’s electoral assistance, including in the upcoming electoral cycles.
Mr. President,
The mining sector plays an important role in the economy of the CAR. The country has several hundred types of minerals on its territory, and their extraction could become one of the pillars of the economic recovery of the Republic. It goes without saying that the country’s leadership is undertaking substantial efforts to boost the effectiveness and accountability of the extractive sector.
Improvement to the system of state control over the production and sale of rough diamonds in the country is ongoing. Earlier in May, a new CAR Mining Code was adopted, which will help to bolster the transparency of the extraction and sale of natural resources in the country. In September, a review mission of the Kimberley Process (KP) visited the CAR. We expect that during the November regular plenary meeting of the KP, the full membership of this country will be restored.
Mr. President,
The adoption of SC resolution 2745 earlier in July was a significant milestone for the CAR. The resolution lifted all sanctions against the Government. Given the positive momentum “on the ground”, this decision was long overdue. The Security Council has in fact simply recognized this objective reality, largely thanks to the sustained efforts of our country in the Security Council. We would also like to reiterate that the problem of illegal armed groups can be resolved only within the framework of sovereign efforts aimed at stabilization and ensuring security within national borders through cooperation with other states of the subregion. It is of fundamental importance to help the CAR and its neighbors to establish coordination and cope with cross-border challenges. The focus of the international community should be placed squarely on supporting Bangui’s efforts to curb channels through which gangs receive arms, training, and related expertise.
We regret that certain Security Council members are putting their national interests and grievances above the interests of the Central African Republic. Thus, instead of assisting in addressing the real problems facing the CAR, they continue to politicize the situation there and spread their insinuations, including those with regard to our bilateral cooperation.
Mr. President,
We support the work of MINUSCO and its leadership. We thank the military personnel of the troop-contributing countries for their commitment to their duty.
Having said that, we would like to note that the full implementation of the Mission’s mandate is only possible if we maintain mutual understanding with the authorities of the host country. Our appeal is that all contradictions should be resolved through constructive dialogue, without ultimatums and external pressure. We believe that when it comes to the renewal of the Mission’s mandate, the CAR’s vision of its parameters should be fully taken into consideration.
The same applies to the issue of Bangui introducing new rules for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in its national airspace. These modalities were introduced by the Ministry of Defense of this country, and they should be unwaveringly observed. The nationwide restrictions on the use of drones can not be considered as a whim of Bangui – they were introduced as an appropriate response to the increasing use of reconnaissance and strike drones by fighters. United Nations peacekeepers had better swiftly adapt to local specifics if they are to effectively discharge their mandate.
In a similar vein, we finds it possible to consider the issue of measures for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of former combatants. The rules in this area are determined by the CAR government. Thus, in 2023, the Azande Ani Kpi Gbe militia was brought into the fold of the DDR program, which was a sovereign decision by Bangui. The incorporation of the militia into the national army is subject to the control of the CAR defense ministry, and goes in line with the authorities’ overall efforts to address the complex security threats emanating from armed groups, which are hampering the process of the country’s return to normal life.
The UN Mission, in turn, is performing the functions within its mandate to facilitate the national DDR process. If UN experts have any concerns about the specific parameters of the DDR, they should discuss this issue with the CAR government in a constructive manner and try to more closely coordinate their work on the DDR track with the country’s authorities. Russia will continue to provide comprehensive support to
Bangui so as to establish peace and security in the country.
I thank you for your attention.