The UN envoy to the Central African Republic, Mankeur Ndiaye, warned against “Any delay or failure” local elections, Monday, October 18, during a meeting of the Security Council during which Paris and Moscow exchanged tense remarks on the paramilitaries of the Russian private group Wagner.
The last local elections date back to 1988, Mankeur Ndiaye recalled during this meeting. And the new ballot, expected in September 2022, must represent “The fruit of a major political compromise which underlies the critical balance of the power-sharing regime enshrined in the political agreement for peace and reconciliation” February 2019, noted the emissary: “As a result, any delay or failure to hold these elections would expose the integrity of the agreement to risks of undermining the peace process. “
After the ceasefire unilaterally decreed on Friday by President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, his project of “Inclusive republican dialogue” will constitute a new step for the stability of the country, said Mr. Ndiaye: “The political class and civil society have a role to play, with the government and the support of the international community, to promote national ownership of this process which is so important in the quest for lasting political solutions towards peace, stability, security and national reconciliation. “
On the security aspect, France considers that “Wagner’s presence in the Central African Republic is deeply destabilizing”, according to Deputy Ambassador Nathalie Broadhurst. “It constitutes a factor of war and not a factor of peace”, she insisted, referring to the accusations of abuses committed against civilians. “Wagner also takes advantage of his position to engage in organized predation of natural resources. However, it is to the Central African economy that these resources should benefit ”, she added.
“Neocolonial practices”
Previously, the Central African President, in video liaison with the Security Council, had on the contrary transmitted the ” thanks “ of its people with regard to countries that have provided “Bilateral forces” in Bangui. “The arrival of bilateral forces has enabled us to readjust our security options […] and to optimize the protection of civilian populations ”, he assured, without citing the private company Wagner and welcoming a “Complementarity” forces on the ground (UN, Rwandan, Russian).
“Russian instructors do not take part in military actions”, once again said Deputy Russian Ambassador Anna Evstigneeva: “They improve the professionalism of the Central African armed forces and the police. Thanks to this, the military situation stabilized. “ Denouncing a “Your haughty” of Russia’s partners in the Security Council, she considered that “Neocolonial practices have no place, no more than economic blackmail”, in the contemporary world.
The American ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, for her part, hoped that the recently decreed ceasefire would put an end to the abuses of which the Russian paramilitaries are accused. She called on Moscow to take legal action against Russian nationals who could be involved in these abuses.
The Central African Republic has been the scene of a civil war since 2013, which has, however, declined considerably in intensity over the past three years.
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