Statement [Made on Behalf of the Security Council, at the 8503rd Meeting, 9 Apr. 2019, in Connection with the Council's Consideration of the Item Entitled "the Situation in the Central African Republic"]

S/PRST/2019/3View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Presidential Statement of the Security Council, under agenda item 227 The situation in the Central African Republic, published in 2019.

What subjects does this mandate have?

4 subjects

Arms Embargo Central African Republic Peace Agreements Sanctions

What’s in this document?

16 paragraphs

At the 8503rd meeting of the Security Council, held on 9 April 2019, in connection with the Council’s consideration of the item entitled “The situation in the Central African Republic”, the President of the Security Council made the following statement on behalf of the Council:

“The Security Council recalls its previous resolutions and statements on the Central African Republic (CAR), in particular resolutions 2121 (2013), 2127 (2013), 2134 (2014), 2149 (2014), 2181 (2014), 2196 (2015), 2212 (2015), 2217 (2015), 2262 (2016), 2264 (2016), 2281 (2016), 2301 (2016), 2339 (2017), 2387 (2017), 2399 (2018), 2448 (2018), 2454 (2019) as well as resolution 2272 (2016), and the Statements of its President of 18 December 2014 (S/PRST/2014/28), 20 October 2015 (S/PRST/2015/17), 16 November 2016 (S/PRST/2016/17), 4 April 2017 (S/PRST/2017/5), 13 July 2017 (S/PRST/2017/9), and 13 July 2018 (S/PRST/2018/14).

“The Security Council welcomes the significant efforts made by the CAR authorities, in coordination with their international partners, to advance the reform of the security sector, including the ongoing deployment of CAR defence and security forces as well as the adoption of a National Defence Plan, a Force Employment Concept, and a National Security Policy and acknowledges the urgent need for the CAR authorities to train and equip their defence and security forces to be able to respond proportionately to threats to the security of all citizens in the CAR.

“The Security Council welcomes the signing of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic by the CAR authorities and 14 armed groups in Bangui on 6 February 2019, after the peace talks that took place in Khartoum, Sudan, from 24 January to 5 February 2019 within the framework of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in the CAR and under the auspices of the African Union, further welcomes the consensus reached by the signatory parties to the Agreement regarding the formation of an inclusive government in line with article 21 of the Agreement, as well as the engagement of the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States and the United Nations, urges the CAR stakeholders to implement the peace agreement in good faith and without delay in order to meet the aspirations expressed by the people of the CAR to peace, security, justice, reconciliation, inclusivity and development, and calls on neighbouring countries, regional organizations, and all international partners to support the implementation of the peace agreement and to coordinate their actions in order to bring lasting peace and stability to the CAR.

“The Security Council takes note of the Secretary-General’s letter dated 31 July 2018 addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2018/752) pursuant to paragraph 43 of resolution 2399 (2018).

“The Security Council recalls its intention to establish, no later than 30 April 2019, clear and well identified key benchmarks regarding the reform of the security sector (SSR), the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation (DDRR) process, and the management of weapons and ammunition, that could serve in guiding the Security Council to review the arms embargo measures on the Government of the CAR pursuant to OP9 of resolution 2454 (2019).

“The Security Council recalls that these clear and well identified key benchmarks could also serve as a basis for the Security Council to assess the contribution and relevance of the arms embargo to support the relevant aspects of the SSR, DDRR process and the management of weapons and ammunition and could also promote greater understanding amongst the CAR authorities of the arms embargo, in particular, its exemption provisions and contribute to closer collaboration between CAR authorities and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) on this issue.

“The Security Council expresses its readiness to review the arms embargo measures on the Government of the CAR, through inter alia suspension or progressive lifting of these measures, in the light of progress achieved on the following key benchmarks:

(a) progress on the effective implementation, by the Government of the CAR, and within sustainable budgetary resources, of the National Program for Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration and Repatriation (PNDDRR), and in particular the socioeconomic reintegration of former members of armed groups and the integration of vetted former members of armed groups into all uniformed personnel;

(b) the establishment, by the Government of the CAR, of a planning document detailing the needs of the CAR authorities in terms of weapons and ammunition storage facilities and in terms of training and vetting of defence and security forces for the management of these weapons and ammunition and facilities, as well as working effectively towards the increase in adequate storage and management capacity and towards the effective training of CAR defence and security forces, consistent with the final needs of the CAR authorities identified in the planning document;

(c) the finalization, by the Government of the CAR, of an arms registration and management protocol for CAR defence and security forces, covering small arms, light weapons and ammunition, including hunting weapons and ammunition, delivered to the CAR authorities, and the establishment of a system of individual receipt of weapons and of a system for applying individual accountability measures in case of loss, theft, or diversion of weapons, as well as working effectively towards proficiency in arms registration and management and towards investigating when weapons were inappropriately managed, in line with CAR national law;

(d) the completion, by the Government of the CAR, of the operationalization of the “Commission nationale de lutte contre la prolifération des armes légères et de petit calibre” (COMNAT-ALPC) and the beginning of the work of the Commission;

(e) the establishment, by the Government of the CAR, of a protocol for the collection and destruction or transfer to the CAR Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces of surplus, unregistered or illicitly held weapons and ammunition seized by the CAR authorities with the aim, in particular, of fighting against the illicit dissemination of weapons and ammunition into CAR, and working effectively towards implementing such a protocol.

“The Security Council reiterates in this regard its request to the Secretary-General to conduct, in close consultation with MINUSCA, UNMAS and the Panel of Experts, and no later than 31 July 2019, an assessment on the progress achieved on the key benchmarks established in the paragraph above and further recalls its intention to review, by 30 September 2019, the arms embargo measures on the Government of the CAR in light of this assessment.

“The Security Council reiterates also its request to the CAR authorities to report, by 30 June 2019, to the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) on the progress achieved regarding the SSR, the DDRR process, and the management of weapons and ammunition.

“The Security Council is determined to continue to closely follow the matter.”

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