UN / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

A “coalition of armed groups” in the Central Africa Republic (CAR) carried out simultaneous attacks and attempted to reach the capital Bangui as political and security tensions increased ahead of the country’s elections, according to a UN spokesperson. UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:31
• Production Date: 21 December 2020
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS MULTIDIMENSIONAL INTEGRATED STABILIZATION MISSION IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - MINUSCA
• Subject Topical: ELECTIONS; PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS
• Geographic Subject: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
• MAMS Id: 2594738
• Parent Id: 2594738
• Alternate Title: unifeed201221d

Description

STORY: UN / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
TRT: 1:31
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 21 DECEMBER 2020, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, UN headquarters exterior

21 DECEMBER 2020, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, press room
3. Med shot, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
"Turning to the Central African Republic, our colleagues from the mission there tell us that political and security tensions increased over the weekend in the midst of the ongoing electoral campaign for the presidential and legislative elections which were scheduled to take place, as you all know, on December 27th. A coalition of armed groups simultaneously attacked four prefectures in the western and southern parts of the country. These groups also attempted to reach the capital Bangui. UN peacekeepers responded proactively and exchanged fires with armed groups in several areas; no damage was reported. And on Sunday, the mission and the members of the G-5 group consisting of the main international partners in the CAR issued a communique condemning the incidents and calling on stakeholders to stop the violence, and they also expressed their support to holding of the elections as scheduled. We will continue to engage with all national stakeholders in close cooperation with our partners in an effort to deescalate tensions, encourage parties to resolve their concerns through peaceful means and ensure the holder of the elections as planned."
5. Med shot, journalists
6. Wide shot, press room

Storyline

A “coalition of armed groups” in the Central Africa Republic (CAR) carried out simultaneous attacks and attempted to reach the capital Bangui as political and security tensions increased ahead of the country’s elections, according to a UN spokesperson.

Speaking to reporters in New York today (21 Dec), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) reported that political and security tensions increased over the weekend in the midst of the ongoing electoral campaign for the presidential and legislative elections which were scheduled to take place on December 27th.

He said the armed groups “simultaneously attacked four prefectures in the western and southern parts of the country” and attempted to the capital Bangui. Dujarric said, “UN peacekeepers responded proactively and exchanged fires with armed groups in several areas; no damage was reported.”

On Sunday, MINUSCA and the members of the G-5 group consisting of the main international partners in the CAR issued a communique condemning the incidents and calling on stakeholders to stop the violence. They also expressed their support to holding of the elections as scheduled.

The UN spokesperson said, “We will continue to engage with all national stakeholders in close cooperation with our partners in an effort to deescalate tensions, encourage parties to resolve their concerns through peaceful means and ensure the holder of the elections as planned."