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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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