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8284th Security Council Meeting: Situation in Central African Region
The international community must have a coordinated response to the serious political and security challenges in Central Africa, which included armed conflict, terrorism, poaching, organized transnational crime and maritime piracy, the Security Council heard today as it was briefed on recent developments in the region.
The situation in Central Africa continued to be tenuous, particularly in countries affected by long-standing conflicts, such as the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said François Louncény Fall, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa and Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA).
All 11 member States of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) were in the middle or beginning of electoral cycles, he pointed out, while populations across the region continued to call for better socioeconomic conditions.
“The scourge of terrorism and violent extremism continues to affect populations of the subregion and divert Government resources from much-needed development programmes to costly security operations,” he warned, adding that Boko Haram and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) had not stopped their deadly attacks on civilians, committing egregious human rights abuses, resulting in countless victims.
“Violent extremism, as well as persisting cross-border security and criminal activities, are compounded by the flow of small arms and light weapons throughout the subregion,” he emphasized. To respond to those challenges, he noted that the first Conference of States Parties to the Central African Convention for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition and all Parts and Components was taking place in Cameroon, with the participation of UNOCA.
Ahmad Allam-Mi, Secretary-General of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), speaking via video-teleconference from Manhasset, New York, noted ECCAS efforts in the areas of maritime security and the fight against terrorism. A framework for cooperation with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the latter issue was being prepared ahead of a joint summit of the two organizations in late July, he said.
Echoing concerns about the continued presence of Boko Haram and LRA in the region, Council members stressed the need for bolstered international support to combat the terrorist activities of those groups.
Ethiopia’s representative noted that prolonged conflicts and the weakening of central authority and State institutions had exacerbated that terrorist threat which was intimately intertwined with organized crime. It was critical that the peace and security of the region was closely monitored and that the stability of its countries was maintained, he stressed.
The representative of the United Kingdom said military and non-military action was needed to address the region’s political and security threats, including a better understanding of their root causes and the humanitarian needs of the affected populations. He also expressed concern about the threat of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and called for further reporting on the issue in the future.
Equatorial Guinea’s representative drew attention to the failed coup d’état in his country in December 2017, warning that situations of even greater gravity could arise, further destabilizing an already volatile region.
The speaker for Côte d’Ivoire welcomed the upcoming implementation of a regional stabilization strategy in line with Council resolution 2349 (2017) and supported the strengthening the Multinational Joint Task Force set up to bring an end to the Boko Haram insurgency, as recommended by the Secretary-General. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he called for effective implementation of the 31 December 2016 agreements, including the holding of elections in December. He also took note of the recent constitutional referendum in Burundi and called on the parties to resume dialogue.
The representative of the United States said the deteriorating situation in Cameroon, which included violence against civilians, demanded the Council and UNOCA’s attention. Emphasizing the country’s essential role in the fight against Boko Haram, she stressed: “The stakes in Cameroon are too high for this crisis to continue to go unaddressed,” urging all parties to take immediate steps to de-escalate the crisis and protect civilians.
Also speaking were the representatives of Peru, Kazakhstan, Bolivia, Sweden and Poland.
The meeting started at 10:10 a.m. and ended at 11:43 a.m.
