United Nations Security Council Resolution 2605 – The situation in the Central African Republic

Resolution 2605 (2021)

The Security Council,

Recalling all of its previous resolutions, statements of its President, and press statements on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR),

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,

Reaffirming the basic principles of peacekeeping, such as consent of the parties, impartiality, and non-use of force, except in self-defence and defence of the mandate, recognising that the mandate of each peacekeeping mission is specific to the need and situation of the country concerned, underlining that the mandates that it authorises are consistent with the basic principles, reiterating that the Security Council expects full delivery of the mandates it authorises, and recalling in this regard its resolution 2436 (2018),

Recalling that the CAR authorities have the primary responsibility to protect all populations in the CAR in particular from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, also recalling in this regard the importance of national efforts to restore State authority in all parts of the country,

Emphasizing that any sustainable solution to the crisis in the CAR should be CAR-owned, including the political process, and should prioritise reconciliation of the Central African people, through an inclusive process that involves men and women of all social, economic, political, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including those displaced by the crisis,

Recalling the signing of the Political Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in the CAR by the CAR authorities and 14 armed groups in Bangui on 6 February 2019(“the APPR”), after the peace talks that took place in Khartoum, Sudan, within the framework of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in the CAR and under the auspices of the African Union (AU), and stressing its centrality and the need for further progress in its implementation,

Reaffirming that implementation of the APPR remains the only mechanism for achieving lasting peace and stability in the CAR and the only framework for dialogue with armed groups that have renounced violence,

Condemning in the strongest terms violations of the APPR and violence perpetrated by all parties to the conflict throughout the country, including through the increased use of explosive ordnance, violence aiming at obstructing the electoral process, incitement to violence and hatred targeting specifically persons belonging to certain ethnic and religious communities resulting in deaths, injuries and displacements, violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses, including those committed against children and those involving conflict-related sexual violence,

Taking note of the joint MINUSCA-OHCHR report of 4 August 2021 on violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law committed in the Central African Republic and noting with concern that violations and abuses were committed by all parties to the conflict, welcoming the response submitted by the CAR authorities to address the report’s findings, and expressing support for the implementation of the preventive and corrective measures proposed by the government,

Stressing the urgent and imperative need to end impunity in the CAR, noting the ongoing work of the Special Commission of Enquiry and calling on the CAR authorities to swiftly investigate allegations of crimes and to bring to justice perpetrators of violations of international humanitarian law and of violations and abuses of human rights,

Noting that a sustainable solution to the crisis in the CAR and the elimination of the threat posed by armed groups requires an integrated regional strategy and a strong political commitment from the CAR authorities and regional countries, also noting the importance of addressing the root causes of conflict, including illicit exploitation and trade of natural resources, and to put an end to the recurring cycles of violence, as indicated in the APPR,

Welcoming the announcement of a ceasefire by President Touadéra on 15 October 2021, following the roadmap adopted by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in Luanda on 16 September under the leadership of Angola and Rwanda (‘the roadmap’), urging all parties to the conflict in the CAR to respect the ceasefire, expressing concern that some signatories to the APPR continue to disregard their commitments and calling on neighbouring states, regional organisations and all international partners to support the implementation of the ceasefire, and the APPR via the roadmap,

Underlining the continued need to support national efforts towards the extension of State authority and the reform of the security sector (SSR) in the CAR,

Welcoming the work carried out by MINUSCA, the African Union Observer Mission in the CAR (MOUACA), the European Union Training Mission in the CAR (EUTM-RCA) and the European Union Advisory Mission in the CAR (EUAM-RCA), as well as the support of CAR’s other international and regional partners, including France, the Russian Federation, the United States, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Rwanda, to train and enhance the capacities of the CAR defence and security forces, and encouraging coherence, transparency and effective coordination of international support to the CAR,

Condemning cross-border criminal activities, such as arms trafficking, illicit trade, illegal exploitation, and trafficking of natural resources, including gold, diamonds, timber, and wildlife, as well as the illicit transfer, destabilising accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, that threaten the peace and stability of the CAR, also condemning the use of mercenaries and violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses perpetrated by them, calling upon the Government of CAR to work with neighbouring countries to secure its borders and other entry points to prevent the cross-border flows of armed combatants, arms and conflict minerals, stressing the need for CAR authorities to finalise and implement, in cooperation with relevant partners, a strategy to tackle the illegal exploitation and smuggling of natural resources, and calling upon the government of CAR and neighbouring countries to work together to secure their borders,

Welcoming the Republican Dialogue proposed by President Touadéra and calling for concrete steps from the government of the Central African Republic and all political actors to engage effectively in an inclusive dialogue, resolve outstanding issues and conclude the electoral process through the organization of local elections,

Taking note of the upcoming local elections in 2022 and underlining the primary responsibility of the CAR authorities in their organization, noting their efforts to conduct the electoral process in accordance with the Constitution, stressing that only inclusive, free and fair elections, carried out in a transparent, credible, peaceful and timely manner, undisturbed by disinformation and other forms of manipulation of information, can bring lasting stability to the CAR, including through the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women, reaffirming the importance of the participation of the youth, and encouraging the CAR authorities, with the support of relevant partners, to promote the participation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees in accordance with the Constitution of the CAR,

Recalling its resolutions on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, on Women, Peace and Security, on Youth, Peace and Security, and on Children and Armed Conflict, taking note of the Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Central African Republic of 15 October 2021 (S/2021/882), calling upon all the parties in the CAR to engage with the Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict and the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, and welcoming the decision by the CAR government to name a Special Adviser on Sexual Violence in Conflict,

Expressing serious concern about the dire and deteriorating humanitarian situation in the CAR since the last mandate renewal and the consequences of the security situation on humanitarian access, condemning in the strongest terms increased attacks against humanitarian and medical personnel and obstruction to humanitarian access, and emphasising the current humanitarian needs of more than half of the population of the country, including civilians under threat from violence, as well as the alarming situation of IDPs and refugees, and welcoming the collaboration between MINUSCA, UN agencies, the African Union, the World Bank, technical and financial partners of the CAR and NGOs to support development and humanitarian efforts in the CAR and their adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities,

Recalling the UN guiding principles of humanitarian emergency assistance,

Recalling resolution 2532 (2020) demanding a general and immediate cessation of hostilities in all situations on the Council’s agenda, as well as calling upon all parties to armed conflicts to engage immediately in a durable humanitarian pause, in order to enable the safe, timely, unhindered and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance consistent with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence,

Recognising the adverse effects of climate change, ecological changes and natural disasters, among other factors, on the stability of the Central African region, including through drought, desertification, land degradation, food insecurity, and energy access, and stressing the need for comprehensive risk assessment by the United Nations relating to these factors and for long-term strategies by governments of the Central African region and the United Nations to support stabilisation and build resilience,

Condemning in the strongest terms all attacks, provocations and incitement to hatred and violence against MINUSCA and other international forces by armed groups and other perpetrators, in particular violations of the Status of Forces Agreement, which must be strictly respected by the CAR authorities, as well as disinformation campaigns including through social media, paying tribute to the personnel of MINUSCA who sacrificed their lives in the service of peace, underlining that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes, reminding all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law and urging the CAR authorities to work with MINUSCA to enhance the safety and security of MINUSCA’s personnel and to take all possible measures to ensure the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators, including in line with resolution 2518 (2020) and 2589 (2021),

Recalling peacekeeping performance requirements under resolutions 2378 (2017) and 2436 (2018),

Taking note of the Report of the Secretary-General of 11 October 2021(S/2021/867),

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 8902nd meeting, on 12 November 2021.