Abakar Sabone and Michel Djotodia, respectively spokesman and chairman of the rebel group UFDR (Union of Democratic Forces for the Rally) were released by the Beninese authorities on Tuesday. They were arrested in November 2006, after the Central African Republic state prosecutor issued an international search warrant. Their liberation could bode significant advancements in the peace negotiations between the CAR government and the rebels in the North East of the country.

A few days earlier on Saturday 16th, François Lonsény Fall, Representative of the UN Secretary General in CAR, met with Laurent Djim-Woei, delegated by the APRD (Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy) in order to encourage the participation of the Northwestern rebel forces to the inclusive political dialogue organized by the government.

These two developments are characteristic of the relative lull in the climate of violence that has devastated the north of the country. In order to maintain this improvement, the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund is supporting an inclusive dialogue initiative aiming at the dissolution of the remaining pockets of insecurity in the northeast and the northwest of the country. However, the APRD has so far refused to take part in the preparatory committee for the inclusive political dialogue, and the fragmentation of the rebellion in the northwest will remain an obstacle to its participation.

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Internal conflicts in the CAR have led almost 300,00 people to flee their home and only the rehabilitation of the state’s capacity to control its territory will bring long lasting relief to these populations. Along with the Security Sector Reform programm, an open dialogue with all political and armed opposition groups appears to be unavoidable in order to reach stability in the Central African Republic.