Responding to persistent pockets of insecurity in the Central African Republic, the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) will provide over $800,000 to forge a more inclusive political dialogue within the country. The project, called the Inclusive Political Dialogue, makes CAR the second country to be awarded PBF funding under emergency provisions and the fourth country to win funding overall. The Inclusive Political Dialogue will bring the government, opposition parties and armed groups together for internationally-mediated negotiations before the end of the year.
The Inclusive Political Dialogue will build on local efforts at political reconciliation, including two landmark accords signed with armed groups in February and April 2007. Because these groups often cite their perceived political disenfranchisement as a major grievance, it will be crucial to maintain the momentum of peace agreements by including the widest possible spectrum of actors in future negotiations.
International mediators will travel extensively between Bangui and affected areas in order to hold local- and provincial-level meetings and incorporate community input into the process. This phase will be followed by a one-month “pre-dialogue” period intended to train participants in constructive dialogue, as well as outline stakeholder expectations.
Final meetings will take place over two to three weeks in Bangui at the end of 2007. Participants will seek agreement on the immediate and future renunciation of violence, the genuine integration of opposition groups into national life and respect for democratic principles.
For more information on the peacebuilding project contact
John Ratcliffe
Communications Officer
UNDP CAR
Email ratcliffej@gmail.com | Mobile +236 55 95 84
[...] was eligible for continuing support from the UN Peacebuilding Fund. This announcement follows an emergency decision last September to provide $800,000 in support of a broad-based political dialogue in the country. [...]