Posted in APRD, Central African Republic, development, government, info bulletin, rebels, roads, security, sitrep, violence on Aug 18th, 2008 No Comments »
Highlights
- Clashes in the north west of CAR
- New MINURCAT Police Chief
- World Bank provides US$ 7 million for Food Response Project
- UN Humanitarian Air Service in jeopardy
Background and security
Clashes in the north west of CAR
After suspending their participation in the Inclusive Political Dialogue, several clashes between the Popular army for the restoration of democracy (APRD) and government forces have been reported in the north west of the country. Fighting reportedly took place on 8 August near Ngaoundaye, on 12 August near Man, and on 13 and 14 August between Ouandago and Kabo, though the identity of the rebels in this last skirmish was not confirmed.
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Posted in BONUCA, Bouar, Central African Republic, bandits, disarmament, government, health, hiv, rebels, security, sitrep on Aug 5th, 2008 No Comments »
Highlights
- The Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy (APRD) suspends its participation in the process leading up to the political dialogue.
- A barge crossing the Oubangui river in CAR, sank, killing 42.
Background and security
The APRD pulls out of the political dialogue
The President of the Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy (APRD), Jean-Jacques Démafouth said in a press release that his organisation had suspended its participation in the process leading up to the political dialogue. Mr. Démafouth has also stated that the APRD had withdrown from a ceasefire and a global peace agreement signed on 9 May and 21 June 2008. The APRD made that resolution because they disapprove parts of a proposed general amnesty law.
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Prime Minister makes emergency appeal
Bangui, Central African Republic – Faustin Touadera, Prime Minister of the Central African Republic, issued an emergency appeal for international support in the wake of a catastrophic failure of the country’s power system. After nearly 60 years of service and erratic maintenance at best, and despite offers from key donors to help over the course of the past few months, CAR’s weak electric infrastructure has taken one more step towards complete collapse. Rolling blackouts, often lasting more than 24 hours, have now plunged the capital into nearly complete darkness. Continue Reading »
Posted in CEMAC, Central African Republic, EUFOR, IMF, MINURCAT, WHO, cameroon, health, info bulletin, security, sitrep on Jun 30th, 2008 No Comments »
Highlights
- Tripartite ministerial meeting (Cameroon, Central African Republic and Chad) on cross-border insecurity in Yaoundé on 20 June
- IMF to give FCFA 5.8 billion in financial support to CAR
- Access to health restored in Ndélé
- Support to agriculture and infrastructure north of Paoua
Background and security
Cross-border insecurity on the agenda
A ministerial meeting on cross-border insecurity, jointly organized by the Governments of Cameroon, CAR and Chad was held on 20 June in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Continue Reading »
Posted in NAF, UNDP, Zaraguinas, development, humanitarian crisis, poverty, rebels, refugees, sanitation, security, violence on Jun 24th, 2008 No Comments »
Download the 2008 Needs Analysis Framework in English (2.1 MB) - PDF
The Needs Analysis Framework analyzes the humanitarian needs in the Central African Republic, mainly of civilians living in the northern areas affected by conflict and violence. As a consequence of poverty and under-development, and aggravated by the violent conflict and banditry, urgent needs exist in all sectors. First and foremost, the humanitarian crisis in CAR is a protection and human rights crisis, with 305,000 people being forced to flee their homes. But many people also have no access to hospitals, health centres, schools, and markets, they have no drinking water and cannot work their fields, and many have no roof to protect them from the rains. Continue Reading »
An English-language overview of the security sector reform process in CAR is now available. Written with support from UNDP and based on government documents and the proceedings of April’s SSR seminar, Crucial steps: Security sector reform in the Central African Republic offers a summary of the current status of CAR’s security and justice services, as well as information on proposed reforms and projected implementation timelines. Continue Reading »
On Friday May 9th, the Central African Republic Government and the Popular Army for Unity and Democracy (APRD) signed a much awaited cease fire and peace agreement in Libreville, Gabon. In presence of Gabon’s President Bongo Ondimba, and the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations, François Lonseny Fall, both parties agreeded to an immediate cessation of hostilities.
Jean-Jacques Demafouth, recently appointed political head of the APRD, declared that the Government had committed to granting a general amnesty and “an end to all legal prosecutions currently in progress” against APRD rebels. Instead, they will stay in camps “pending their disarmament, demobilisation or integration into the army.” The fate of exiled former President Ange-Felix Patassé himself remains unclear. Regarded as the driving force behind the APRD by the Government of the Central African Republic, he was sentenced in 2006 to 20 years’ hard labour for his part in the rebel movement. Continue Reading »
17 April 2008
CAR’s historic security sector reform seminar came to a close Thursday evening with President François Bozizé declaring that the government would work to abide by the timeline established by participants. Continue Reading »
16 April 2008
The third day of CAR’s SSR seminar came to a close this evening after having presented reform proposals for the country’s security and justice sectors. Based on earlier discussions of the current state and needs of individual sectors, working groups offered reform proposals with implementation timelines of up to 24 months. Continue Reading »
15 April 2008
CAR’s security sector reform seminar concluded its second session on Tuesday, completing presentations on the state of the country’s security and justice services and breaking into working groups focused on initial reform proposals. Continue Reading »
14 April 2008
The Central African Republic launched its historic four-day seminar on security sector reform today in the Bangui Sports Complex conference rooms. President François Bozizé officially opened the seminar, accompanied by National SSR Committee President General Antoine Gambi, Prime Minister Faustin Touadéra and UNDP Resident Representative Toby Lanzer. Presentations were delivered by members of the National SSR Preparatory Committee and by national experts, focusing chiefly on the current state of the following sub-sectors: Continue Reading »
The government of the Central African Republic (CAR) will launch an historic, four-day seminar on security sector reform on Monday (14 April 2008), demonstrating the country’s willingness to move beyond its tumultuous past and advance the development objectives set out in its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. Continue Reading »
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. Continue Reading »
The Washington-based NGO Refugees International (RI) is currently conducting a humanitarian assessment mission in the Central African Republic (CAR). The advocacy organization will focus on the causes of displacement and the humanitarian conditions in CAR’s battered northwest.
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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. Continue Reading »
