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8538th Security Council Meeting: Situation in Central African Region
Despite recent political and security gains, Central Africa still faces looming threats — from the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Cameroon to Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — requiring local solutions alongside strong continuing international support, the head of the regional United Nations office told the Security Council today.
The Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) reported broad progress as he provided Council members with updates on recent developments, while cautioning that grave threats to regional security persist, including the continuing presence of Boko Haram and recurrent and often deadly clashes between pastoralists and farmers in several countries. As for the worsening conditions in Cameroon, he said civilians bear the brunt of the violence, which has displaced more than 500,000 people and forced another 30,000 or more to flee to Nigeria. To change this trajectory, the Government must guide efforts to seek solutions to the crisis, he stressed.
Presenting the Secretary-General’s latest report on the situation in Central Africa and UNOCA’s activities (document S/2019/430), he highlighted the signing of the peace and reconciliation agreement between the Government of the Central African Republic and 14 armed groups. He also welcomed the decision by regional stakeholders to hold discussions, stressing that the talks must address border safety, among other challenging issues.
The Special Representative went on to suggest that, by sharing experiences, peacekeeping forces deployed in the region could help to strengthen responses to terrorist attacks and to the growing humanitarian needs. The States involved should work more closely on regional strategies and combine efforts with the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), he said.
Côte d’Ivoire’s representative agreed that the Central African countries themselves must drive a regional approach to these and other challenges, with other Council members also expressing robust support for regional actors.
South Africa’s representative emphasized that coherence and coordination among UNOCA, UNOWAS, Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the African Union will help to strengthen responses to Boko Haram and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). He also expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in Cameroon.
The United Kingdom’s representative echoed that concern, warning “there is a real possibility of a Cameroon crisis”. While emphasizing the importance of respecting that country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, he nevertheless expressed concern over shrinking space for political opposition, civil society and free media throughout the region, describing such groups as fundamental building blocks of long-term stability.
In a similar vein, the representative of the United States cited reports to the effect that 17 per cent of Cameroon’s population need assistance and aid convoys are being blocked amid mass arrests of demonstrators. He welcomed the Government’s plan to address the crisis, while stressing that its efforts must be transparent and impartial in order to succeed.
China’s representative underlined that the Council must respect Cameroon’s territorial integrity and support its efforts to find solutions to its current challenges. While the international community should adopt an integrated approach to recent developments on the ground, States must make their own decisions on issues ranging from development to fighting the trafficking of drugs and weapons, he added.
The Russian Federation’s representative described Central Africa as the key to combating terrorism throughout the continent, including by fighting the illegal movement of drugs, weapons and natural resources. To do so, regional multinational armed forces must have adequate financing to pursue and eradicate terrorist fighters, he said, adding that regional players must set the tone in overcoming crises and settling conflicts.
Also delivering statements were representatives of Poland, France, Belgium, Dominican Republic, Germany, Peru, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia and Kuwait.
The meeting began at 3:01 p.m. and ended at 4:49 p.m.
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