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Unread 10-21-2018, 10:39 AM
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UN Summary Report For CAR (From June 15th 2018 to October 15th 2018) - In PDF Form



Note - This is a report from the UN(MINUSCA) and does not detail the effort and support from other groups such as the EU(European Union), Russia, AU(African Union), China, USA, France, etc. Opinions have not been posted below as this is just one perspective from an individual writing the report. The key notes below are meant to show actual events compared to what the writer is actually talking about or speculates.

I have condensed everything and taken out all the important key notes of events that have taken place over the four month period.

Total - 21 Pages (12-21 are personal opinions and have not been posted)

Page 3

The African Initiative is widely recognized among all stakeholders as the ma in
principle framework for the peace process in the Central African Republic, although
its operationalization has taken time and it lacks the required resources. One year
after the adoption of the Libreville road map, the Initiative’s panel of facilitators
concluded its “listening tours” with the 14 main armed groups. At the most recent
meeting, held in Bouar from 28 to 30 August, the panel helped to harmonize the
groups’ demands, which were subsequently submitted to President Touad?ra for
consideration by the Government. This represents an important preparatory step
towards dialogue between the Government and armed groups, tentatively scheduled
for November. The panel also consulted two exiled former Heads of State, Francois
Boziz? and Michel Djotodia. In July 2018, the Initiative, with support from the
Peacebuilding Fund, organized training sessions to prepare armed groups,
government representatives and political and social leaders for direct dialogue, with
the support of the Community of Sant’Egidio and the African Centre for the
Constructive Resolution of Disputes. The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality
and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) and the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) organized workshops and seminars to engage women and yo ung
people

On 28 August 2018, a meeting was convened in Khartoum with the three main
ex-S?l?ka factions and one anti-balaka faction, with the support of the Russian
Federation. That followed an earlier meeting in Khartoum on 10 July that only the
Front populaire pour la renaissance de la Centrafrique attended. The second meeting
resulted in a declaration, by which armed factions pledged their support for peace and
dialogue within the framework of the African Initiative.

In Bangassou, a local agreement was signed in April 2018, complemented by
the arrest of militia leaders, disarmament through community violence reduction
programmes, the deployment of units of the Central African armed forces trained by
the European Union Training Mission and intercommunal dialogue by local leaders.
Those efforts have produced a noticeable decline in attacks on civilians in recent
months. In Bangui, intercommunal dialogue in the city’s third district facilitated the
gradual return of people displaced following Operation Sukula. Local peace and
reconciliation processes in Markounda and Zemio have helped to reduce violence,

Page 4

(continued from page 3) increase freedom of movement and facilitate the return of State authorities. Similarly,
in Bouar, they have helped to eliminate illegal checkpoints, stop intercommunal
violence and secure a commitment from the armed group Retour, r?clamations,
r?habilitation to demobilize and disarm as part of the disarmament, demobilization
and reintegration programme. In July, that group and anti-balaka leaders in Bouar
destroyed 1,652 weapons that had been collected through community violence
reduction programmes, symbolizing their commitment to disarming. The
Government, with MINUSCA support, also established eight new local peace and
reconciliation committees across the country.

Page 5

Out of a total of 7,087 verified soldiers of the Central African armed forces, 243
have been deployed in Am Dafok, Boali, Bouar and Moungounba without MINUSCA
or partner support. A total of 612 personnel trained by the European Union Training
Mission have so far been deployed in Bangassou, Bouar, Dekoa, Obo, Paoua and
Sibut, working alongside MINUSCA. The Central African armed forces has received
contributions from bilateral partners, including armaments, vehicles, communications
and other equipment. MINUSCA is responsible for the ad hoc supplies of fuel in
Bangassou, Obo and Paoua, which it then receives in the same quantities by the
Government in Bangui. The majority of the 3,232 police and gendarme officers
remain in Bangui owing to a lack of essential equipment and logistics necessary to
deploy new recruits throughout the country as planned (new EU & Russia support will resolve this)

Page 7

During the reporting period, several initiatives were undertaken to help the
Government to re-establish the rule of law and State authority and to provide services
in response to citizens’ request. MINUSCA and the United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) supported the organization of the 2018 national baccalaur?at exams.
MINUSCA and UNDP worked with the Government to develop “Lisango 2.0”, a
software to facilitate the planning of civil servant deployments. In August, five new
prefects, including three women, were nominated to replace the retired prefects of
Bamingui-Bangoran, Basse-Kotto, Mbomou, Nana-Gribizi and Nana-Mamb?r?.

The Special Criminal Court rules of procedure and evidence were promulgated
on 2 July 2018. The Court is actively working, with MINUSCA support, to develop
its prosecutorial and case selection strategy. The judiciary resumed criminal sessions
in several areas, with support from MINUSCA and UNDP. The Bangui Court of
Appeal held its second criminal session from 16 July to 31 August, in which 15 cases
were heard, including several related to the conflict. In August, the Bossangoa High
Court resumed its criminal sessions, which had been suspended since 2013. However,
in general the capacity and functioning of other national judicial and corrections
structures, particularly outside Bangui, remained limited.

The Mission continued to support the demilitarization of prisons, including the
recruitment of 150 out of a total of 300 prison officers. The Mission apprehended nine
high-profile individuals using its urgent temporary measures and supported the
transfer to Bangui of 54 detainees, including anti-balaka leader Pino-Pino, who had
been accused of involvement in attacks against civilians and peacekeepers in May
2017.

Page 8

MINUSCA is supporting the Government’s launch of its disarmament,
demobilization and reintegration programme, starting in the west with seven armed
groups, and continued to expand community violence reduction programmes in six
locations for 5,100 beneficiaries. The Government continued to engage with other
armed groups to reach further agreements and extend disarmament and
demobilization to other parts of the country

On 4 July 2018, the National Assembly adopted a law establishing a High
Council on Security to ensure greater accountability and civilian oversight over the
security sector. On 24 August, the President approved the Government’s proposal to
reserve 10 per cent of new posts in the Central African armed forces and security
forces for former combatants, until 2021. At the request of the Government,
MINUSCA started to support the recruitment of 1,023 Central African armed forces
personnel, using quotas to ensure fair geographic and gender balance. In August, the
European Union Training Mission concluded the training of the third infantry
battalion of the Central African armed forces. On 30 July, the mandate of the
European Union Training Mission was extended until 19 September 2020

The 500 new police and gendarmerie recruits were scheduled to complete their
general training and start specialized training by the end of October 2018. MINUSCA,
through the Mine Action Service, continued to support weapons and ammunition
management by assisting the national defence and security forces with infrastructure
planning and refresher training

Page 9

MINUSCA and the United Nations country team, along with other partners,
have supported the Government in the implementation of the National Re covery and
Peacebuilding Plan for the period 2017–2021, to which donors have pledged some
$2.2 billion. The biannual review in June and July showed an increase in the delivery
rate of funds to 49 per cent, although disbursement remained slow. The Mutual
Engagement Framework biannual review highlighted the need to strengthen national
capacities at all levels and to improve national ownership of the Plan and Framework.
It highlighted the urgent actions required to achieve peacebuilding priorities,
including the swift adoption of laws and regulations to launch the preparation for
elections and further deployments of the Central African armed forces and internal
security forces alongside MINUSCA. Efforts continued for the development of the
sectoral strategies, policies, plans and frameworks that were essential for accelerating
the programming and delivery of the resources mobilized so far and for translating
them into peace dividends for the population

The International Monetary Fund reviewed the country’s Extended Credit
Facility Agreement and approved in July a disbursement of $32.1 million. A portion
would be used to pay 2003 salary arrears of civil servants and the gradual settlement
of domestic debt with private companies. In June, the National Assembl y adopted a
revised finance bill that increased social spending and public investments.

Page 10

As at 1 October, MINUSCA had deployed 11,170 military personnel, 3.17 per
cent of whom were women. That figure represents 95.88 per cent of the total
authorized strength of 11,650 personnel. The MINUSCA force currently comprises
10 infantry battalions, two quick-reaction battle groups, a reserve battalion, a special
forces company, a quick-reaction force company and several enabling units, including
a military police company, five engineering companies, a heavy transport company,
three level-II hospitals, a level-1-plus forward surgery module and three helicopter
units, including a combat helicopter unit. The Mission, with guidance from United
Nations Headquarters, is reviewing its capabilities and response procedures in order
to improve the casualty evacuation support

As at 1 October 2018, a total of 750 troops out of the 900 authorized by the
Security Council were operational. The remaining troops are expected to reach full
operational capability by end of November, with specialized equipment, including
reconnaissance and high-mobility armoured vehicles, as well as enablers, such as
engineering vehicles, logistics and medical equipment. MINUSCA will reinforce its
military posture with two highly mobile battalions, designed as joint task forces
composed of three companies, capable of deploying simultaneously and operating
autonomously, with integrated force multipliers. They will act as quick-reaction
forces, tasked to address particularly difficult security situations.

As at 1 October, MINUSCA had deployed 1,918 police personnel, representing
92.21 per cent of the authorized strength of 2,080. That number comprised 385
individual police officers, including 52 women, representing 96.25 per cent of the
authorized strength of 400. Ten formed police units and two protection support units
comprising 1,533 officers, including 102 women, were also deployed, representing
91.25 per cent of the authorized strength of 1,680. The transformation of the police
protection unit into a formed unit remained pending owing to equipment constraints
of the contributing country. Once addressed, the more mobile unit will deploy to
Berberati and Bossangoa

As at 1 October, MINUSCA had deployed 1,384 civilian personnel (1,151 staff
members and 233 United Nations Volunteers) representing 90 per cent of the total
1,524 authorized positions. Furthermore, 273 women constituted 23.7 per cent of the
civilian personnel, with 21.5 per cent in positions at the P-5 level or higher

The Mission continues to work closely with the Government to address a
number of violations related to the status-of-forces agreement, including the import
of critical equipment

Page 11

The Mission has strengthened its efforts to address performance in a series of
actions encompassing training, equipment, evaluation and leadership. The Mission is
serving as a pilot for the implementation of the Comprehensive Performance
Assessment System of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and is developing indicators to measure whole-of-mission performance against its strategic objectives.

Since the launch in September 2017 of the online military performance assessment
tool, MINUSCA has conducted evaluations of several units, which were mostly
assessed as satisfactory, and it is now implementing performance improvement plans
as needed, including on the basis of those evaluations. MINUSCA has been an early
adopter of innovative technologies in support of operations and force protection. It
has made progress in implementing the recommendations contained in the report on
the independent investigation by Brigadier General (Retired) Amoussou to improve
the Mission’s response to protect civilians, as well as the action plan to reduce
peacekeeper fatalities following the report by Lieutenant General (Retired) dos Santos
Cruz,1 which has already produced results, with six peacekeeper casualties in 2018
due to malicious acts, compared to 12 in the same period in 2017, although injuries
have increased to 34 in 2018 from 18 in 2017. MINUSCA has also made significant
improvements in personnel accommodation.


Notes - Pages 12-21 are personal notes and opinions and have been not been posted and these are the thoughts and expressions of one individual and do not take into the account the support from other countries and institutions (Russia, China, France, EU, AU, Sudan, etc). MINUSCA is a support group but does not have the full power or ability to change things. This is more in the hands of the other groups who have more influence and pull within CAR and work much closer to government officials
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