United Nations Security Council Resolution 2196 – Central African Republic

Resolution 2196 (2015)

The Security Council,

Recalling its previous resolutions and statements on the Central African Republic (CAR), in particular resolutions 2121 (2013), 2127 (2013), 2134 (2014) 2149 (2014) and 2181 (2014), as well as the Presidential Statement S/PRST/2014/28of 18 December 2014,

Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the CAR, and recalling the importance of the principles of non-interference, good-neighbourliness and regional cooperation,

Recalling that the Central African Republic bears the primary responsibility to protect all populations within its territory from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity,

Emphasizing that any sustainable solution to the crisis in the CAR should be CAR-owned, including the political process, and should include the restructuring of the Central African Republic security forces,

Reiterating its call upon the Transitional Authorities to accelerate the transition process, including its action towards an inclusive and comprehensive political dialogue and reconciliation process and towards the holding of free, fair, transparent and inclusive presidential and legislative elections no later than August 2015, with the full, effective and equal participation of women,

Commending the African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA), Sangaris and EUFOR RCA for the work done in laying the foundation for increased security ahead of and in support of the United Nations Integrated Multi-dimensional Mission to the CAR (MINUSCA)’s deployment, noting also with concern, however, that while improving, security in the CAR remains fragile,

Welcoming the decision of the European Union to establish a one-year military advice mission based in Bangui (EUMAM-RCA), as requested by the CAR transitional authorities, in order to contribute to providing them with expert advice on reforming the CAR Armed Forces (FACA) into a multi-ethnic, professional, and republican armed forces, and underlines the importance of a clear distribution of tasks and close coordination between the international forces or missions in the CAR and the lead role of MINUSCA in this regard, and further requests that this information is included in the regular reporting of the Secretary-General on MINUSCA,

Welcoming the United Nations Secretary-General Report of 1 December 2014 (S/2014/857) submitted pursuant to resolution 2149 (2014),

Welcoming also the interim and final reports (S/2014/452 and S/2014/762) of the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) and expanded and extended pursuant to resolution 2134 (2014),

Taking note of the final report of the United Nations International Commission of Inquiry (S/2014/928) of 22 December 2014,

Strongly condemning the resurgence of violence, which was politically or criminally motivated, that occurred in October 2014 in Bangui; the continuous cycle of provocations and reprisals by armed groups, both inside and outside of Bangui; the threats of violence, human rights violations and abuses and international humanitarian law violations, including those involving extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, sexual violence against women and children, rape, recruitment and use of children and attacks against civilians, attacks against places of worship, and denial of humanitarian access, committed by armed elements, which continue to adversely affect the dire humanitarian situation faced by the civilian population and to impede humanitarian access to vulnerable populations,

Equally condemning the targeted attacks against the Transitional Authorities as well as those against MINUSCA, Sangaris and EUFOR RCA troops during the October events in Bangui, underlining that attacks targeting peacekeepers are among the designation criteria in paragraph 10 of this resolution and may constitute a war crime and reminding all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law,

Reiterating that all perpetrators of such acts must be held accountable and that some of those acts may amount to crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), to which the CAR is a State party, noting in this regard the opening by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on 24 September 2014 of an investigation following the request of the national authorities on alleged crimes committed since 2012 and welcoming the ongoing cooperation by the CAR Transitional Authorities in this regard,

Expressing grave concern at the findings of the Panel of Experts’ final report of 29 October 2014 (S/2014/762) that, armed groups continue to destabilize the CAR and to pose a permanent threat to the peace, security and stability of the country, and further expressing concern that illicit trade, exploitation and smuggling of natural resources including gold, diamonds and wildlife poaching and trafficking continues to threaten the peace and stability of CAR,

Noting with concern the findings of the Panel of Experts’ final report that the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) remains active in the CAR and that it has established links to other armed groups,

Stressing the urgent and imperative need to end impunity in the CAR and to bring to justice perpetrators of violations of international humanitarian law and of abuses or violations of human rights, underlining in this regard the need to bolster national accountability mechanisms and to implement without delay the 7 August 2014 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Urgent Temporary Measures, which describes, in particular, the establishment of a national Special Criminal Court in charge of investigating and prosecuting the serious crimes committed in the CAR, including through the adoption of the necessary legislation by the Transitional Authorities,

Emphasizing the risk of the situation in the CAR providing a conducive environment for transnational criminal activity, such as that involving arms trafficking and the use of mercenaries as well as a potential breeding ground for radical networks,

Acknowledging in this respect the important contribution the Council-mandated arms embargo can make to countering the illicit transfer of arms and related materiel in the CAR and its region, and in supporting post-conflict peacebuilding, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and security sector reform, recalling its resolutions 2117 (2013) and 2127 (2013) and expressing grave concern at the threat to peace and security in the CAR arising from the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, and the use of such weapons against civilians affected by armed conflict,

Recalling the need for an inclusive and effective disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process (DDR) as well as repatriation and resettlement (DDRRR) in the case of foreign fighters, including children formerly associated with armed forces and groups, while respecting the need to fight impunity,

Recalling its decision to establish a sanctions regime pursuant to resolutions 2127 (2013) and 2134 (2014) and emphasizing that the targeted sanctions aim at, inter alia, individuals and entities designated by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) and expanded pursuant to resolution 2134 (2014) as engaging in or providing support for acts that undermine the peace, stability or security of the CAR, that impede the political transition process or that fuel violence and at individuals and entities designated by the Committee as involved in planning, directing, or committing acts that violate international human rights law or international humanitarian law or that constitute human rights abuses or violations,

Noting the critical importance of effective implementation of the sanctions regime, including the key role that neighbouring States, as well as regional and subregional organizations, can play in this regard and encouraging efforts to further enhance cooperation,

Determining that the situation in the CAR continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region,

Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

Adopted by the Security Council at its 7366th meeting, on 22 January 2015.