Ban Advises Extension Of UN Peacebuilding Office

Central African Republic: Ban Advises Extension Of UN Peacebuilding Office

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended to the Security-Council that the mandate of the United Nations peacebuilding office in the Central African Republic (CAR) be extended for another year to enable it to continue to facilitate the process of restoring stability in the country.

The mandate of the office, known as BINUCA, is due to expire on 31 December.

“In the coming year, BINUCA will continue to implement its mandate within an integrated framework and in close cooperation with national authorities and the partners of the Central African Republic, with a particular focus on the reconciliation process, including through the completion of the electoral process,” Mr. Ban says in his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2010/584">report on CAR.

BINUCA is also helping the national authorities to implement the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme, and is providing support to efforts to restore state authority throughout the country, reform the security sector and promote the rule of law and respect of human rights.

Mr. Ban says that much more needs to be done to increase the capacity of the national army – the Forces armées centrafricaines (FACA).

“Without sufficiently trained and equipped security personnel to tackle the challenges posed by armed groups, which move freely in the country and across its porous borders, a state of relative instability and insecurity will continue to exist,” he writes, urging bilateral partners to respond positively to an appeal by the Government to assist FACA.

The Secretary-General expresses concern over the disappearance of political leaders in CAR and renews his call for the authorities to clarify the circumstances of incidents of disappearance and to ensure the safety of political and military leaders who have joined the peace process.

He calls for action against “a culture of impunity” in the country, which he says remains a central feature of human rights violations there. He also stresses the need to fight corruption, which he says constitutes a leading obstacle to socio-economic development in the country.

“I am pleased with the progress in the ongoing integration of BINUCA and the United Nations country team. The strategic alignment of United Nations operations in each of the humanitarian, development and political spheres serves to reinforce the activities of each agency, fund, and programme, as well as BINUCA and to enable more effective service delivery in our common efforts to consolidate peace in the Central African Republic,” the Secretary-General says in his report.

The UN Peacebuilding Support Office in CAR, known as BONUCA and set up in 2000, transformed into the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in CAR (BINUCA) on 1 January this year in an effort to build on peace agreements between the Government and rebel groups signed in Libreville, Gabon, in 2008 and subsequent political talks.

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