Africa: Local elections to be held in Sep after 34 years

For choosing the local Government in the Central African Republic (CAR), which did not hold for a long time since 1988, are now will be held in September, which is also expected to deepen efforts to decentralize power and raise the political space, the UN representative told the Security Council on February 22 Tuesday, urging the new Government to “deploy all possible efforts” to calm the political climate.

In order to renew the Council on events since President Faustin-Archange Touadera declared a unilateral ceasefire last year in October, Special Representative ‘Mankeur Ndiaye’ who is also the part of the Un Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the country (MINUSCA)- warned that “the security situation remains worrying”.

Central African Republic: Long-awaited local elections could provide an opportunity to decentralize power & ease tensions.

Head of @UN_CAR urges Government to make every effort to calm political climate in the country. https://t.co/huCaxNh38U

— United Nations (@UN) February 23, 2022

In some regions of Africa, there is military ruling going on. At the same time, military operations are underway against armed groups, stated that Coalition of Patriots for change, he added. 

In turn, these militias carry out reprisals against the national security forces and the population.

Sexual brutality and child recruitment:

While stating progress in recovering control of territory previously occupied by armed groups, Mr Ndiaye condemned human rights violations, and international humanitarian law continues to be committed by all parties to the conflict in his final briefing to the Council. 

Military targeting the specific communities, gender-based sexual violence and the recruitment, abuse, and use of children by armed groups. 

Positive signs:

The officials of the UN outlined some positive steps towards maintaining peace and stability, by adopting the CARs Joint Map for Peace on October 16, including his visit to Bangui on January 14 by representatives of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. 

Pointing out the MINUSCA’s proactive role during the process of peace, for instance, by helping to loosen the political deadlock and restore a climate of trust, which gave the outcome of to return the domestic opposition to the Committee organizing national dialogues, he also highlighted that the procedure should be revitalized through the complementary role which was played in 2019 Khartoum Accord and more recently adopted Joint Road Map.