Search engine for the United Nations Security Council Resolutions


Resolution 2031

The situation in the Central African Republic

Abstract

S/RES/2031 (2011)
Security Council Distr.: General
21 December 2011

11-64781 (E)
*1164781*
Resolution 2031 (2011)
Adopted by the Security Council at its 6696th meeting, on
21 December 2011
The Security Council,
Recalling the statements of its President relating to the situation in the Central
African Republic, in particular S/PRST/2010/29, S/PRST/2010/26, S/PRST/2009/35,
S/PRST/2009/13, and S/PRST/2009/5,
Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial
integrity and unity of the Central African Republic, and recalling the importance of
the principles of good-neighbourliness and regional cooperation,
Welcoming ongoing efforts aimed at national reconciliation in the Central
African Republic based on the Libreville Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2008,
calling on its signatories to remain committed to the Agreement, and calling on all
remaining armed groups to join the Agreement without delay,
Acknowledging the important role played by the United Nations Integrated
Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) in support of
mediation efforts undertaken by the Government of the Central African Republic
and the National Mediator,
Acknowledging the efforts made by the authorities of the Central African
Republic, the Independent Electoral Commission and all Central African
stakeholders in organizing peaceful presidential and legislative elections in 2011,
and welcoming the establishment by the Government of the Central African
Republic on 14 July 2011 of a Transitional Committee for Elections,
Noting with concern that the near absence of a political opposition in the
democratic institutions of the Central African Republic, which has added to the
atmosphere of tension in the country, may constitute a considerable challenge to the
process of national reconciliation and nation-building,
Welcoming the intention of the Government of the Central African Republic to
work towards an all-inclusive political approach for the reform of the electoral code
and the establishment of a permanent electoral management body, and welcoming in
this regard the organization by the Government, with the support of BINUCA, of a
workshop on electoral reforms with all national stakeholders from 28 to
30 November 2011, S/RES/2031 (2011)
2 11-64781
Expressing deep concern at the precarious security situation in the Central
African Republic due to the persisting presence and activities of national and
foreign armed groups, including the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Front
Populaire pour le Redressement (FPR), that threaten peace and security in the
Central African Republic and the subregion,
Expressing concern at the lack of State authority outside the capital which has
led to a serious security vacuum in many parts of the Central African Republic,
Welcoming the ceasefire agreement signed between the Government and the
Convention des Patriotes pour la Justice et la Paix (CPJP) and the ceasefire
agreement signed between CPJP and the Union des Forces Démocratiques pour le
Rassemblement (UFDR) under the auspices of the Government and the National
Mediator and with the support of the United Nations, the African Union, the Mission
for the Consolidation of Peace in the Central African Republic (MICOPAX) and the
Government of Chad,
Commending the African Union’s regional cooperation initiative for the
elimination of the LRA, the appointment in November of a Special Envoy on the
LRA, and its efforts to establish a Regional Intervention Force, a Joint Operations
Centre and a Joint Co-ordination Mechanism,
Recalling its resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009),
and 1960 (2010), on women, peace and security and its resolutions 1612 (2005),
1882 (2009) and 1998 (2011) on children and armed conflict, recalling the
conclusions of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed
Conflict, including inter alia the adoption of action plans to put an end to the
recruitment and use of children by armed groups, including by self-defence militias,
and also recalling resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1325 (2000), 1612 (2005),
1674 (2006), 1738 (2006), 1820 (2008), 1882 (2009), 1888 (2009) and 1889 (2009)
on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts,
Expressing serious concern at reports of continued human rights violations, in
particular cases of extrajudicial executions and restrictions on civil liberties,
Noting the importance of the current dialogue between the Government of the
Central African Republic and the International Monetary Fund on economic and
financial developments in the Central African Republic,
Welcoming the continued engagement of the Peacebuilding Commission in the
Central African Republic and the recent visit of a delegation from the Commission’s
country-specific configuration, and acknowledging the contribution of the
Peacebuilding Fund to peacebuilding in the Central African Republic,
Having considered the report (S/2011/739) of the Secretary-General on the
situation in the Central African Republic and on the activities of BINUCA,
1. Decides to extend the mandate of BINUCA as recommended by the
Secretary-General in his report (S/2011/739), until 31 January 2013;
2. Underlines the importance of a fully integrated office ensuring effective
coordination of strategy and programmes among the United Nations agencies, funds
and programmes in the Central African Republic, and emphasizes the role of the
Secretary-General’s Special Representative in coordinating the country team; S/RES/2031 (2011)
11-64781 3
3. Looks forward to the Government’s progress on the creation of a
permanent and independent electoral management body responsible for organizing
future elections and on the revision of the electoral code, drawing from the lessons
learned during the elections held earlier in the year, and calls upon the Government
to organize municipal elections as soon as possible;
4. Encourages the Government to continue to engage in consultations with
the opposition in a consensual and inclusive manner, including on the electoral
reform;
5. Urges the Government of the Central African Republic to ensure that
freedom of expression and assembly, including for the opposition parties, as well as
the rule of law, which are essential for democracy, are fully respected; and urges the
opposition parties and the Government to engage in a constructive dialogue to
establish an environment allowing equal chances in the run-up to next electoral
cycle;
6. Calls on the Government of the Central African Republic and all armed
groups to remain committed to the national reconciliation process by fully observing
the recommendations of the Inclusive Political dialogue that ended in 2008, and
demands that all armed groups cooperate with the Government in the disarmament,
demobilization and reintegration process;
7. Welcomes the progress the Central African Republic has made in the
disarmament and demobilization of former combatants in the Northwest, following
the launch of related activities by President Bozizé on 25 June 2011, and encourages
the Government of the Central African Republic to pursue the disarmament and
demobilization of former combatants, in particular members of UFDR and CPJP;
8. Welcomes the finalization on 8 July 2011 of the national strategy for the
reintegration of former combatants drafted with the support of BINUCA, and urges
the Government of the Central African Republic to redouble its efforts towards
ensuring national ownership and full implementation of the strategy, in line with the
wider security sector reform (SSR), and to define a timeline and draw-up specific
reintegration programmes in order to be able to seek support from bilateral and
multilateral partners;
9. Underscores the importance of SSR in the Central African Republic,
notes with concern the absence of a credible and viable national SSR strategy and,
in this regard, calls upon the Government of the Central African Republic to
reengage in a meaningful dialogue with BINUCA on this issue, in particular by
taking into consideration the SSR road map drafted by BINUCA in response to the
request by the Government for help to revive the SSR process;
10. Expresses concern at the security situation in the Central African
Republic, which remains precarious, welcomes in this regard the continued efforts of
MICOPAX in support of durable peace and security in the Central African Republic,
and calls on countries in the subregion, and regional and subregional organizations
to consider, upon request of the Central African Republic, the extension of the
mandate of MICOPAX and other measures deemed appropriate to improve the
security situation in the Central African Republic and the subregion;
11. Underscores the primary responsibility of the Government of the Central
African Republic to promote security and protect its civilians with full respect for S/RES/2031 (2011)
4 11-64781
the rule of law, human rights, and international humanitarian law, stresses the
importance of bilateral partners’ work enhancing the capacity of the Central African
Republic Armed Forces and stresses that such assistance should be in support of the
wider security reform process;
12. Underscores the need for Chad, Sudan and the Central African Republic
to implement the tripartite agreement that was signed on 23 May 2011 in Khartoum
to enhance security in their common border areas through joint patrols, and also the
need for Chad, the Central African Republic and Cameroun to pursue the Tripartite
Initiative, signed in December 2005, aimed at enhancing security at their borders;
13. Expresses deep concern at the extensive recruitment and the acquisition
of weapons by the FPR, which threaten peace and security in the Central African
Republic and the region and constitute violations of the commitments made by the
FPR to lay down its weapons and enter into discussions towards peace in the Final
Communiqué signed on 13 June 2011 by FPR leader Baba Laddé and the national
mediators of Chad and the Central African Republic, condemns human rights
violations perpetrated by the FPR, and encourages the Government of the Central
African Republic to continue to liaise with the Government of Chad to reach a
solution;
14. Strongly condemns the continued violations of international humanitarian
and human rights law, including the recruitment and use of children, killing and
maiming, rape, sexual slavery and other sexual violence and abductions perpetrated
by armed groups, and specifically the LRA that threaten the population as well as
peace and stability of the Central African Republic and the subregion, and calls on
BINUCA to report on human rights violations perpetrated by armed groups
particularly against children and women;
15. Welcomes the efforts of the Government of the Central African Republic
to combat the LRA on its territory, further welcomes the African Union’s Regional
Cooperation Initiative for the elimination of the LRA and the appointment of an
African Union Special Envoy to coordinate this activity, and commends States in the
region for their increased cooperation and efforts to address this threat;
16. Welcomes the designation by BINUCA of a focal point for LRA-related
activities and the establishment of a working group that includes national and
international stakeholders, including the African Union, the European Union, the
United States of America, France and United Nations Office in Central Africa
(UNOCA), and calls on BINUCA to reinforce information sharing on the LRA, in
particular with the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), the
United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), the United Nations
Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUSCO), the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South-Sudan
(UNMISS) and the newly appointed African Union Special Envoy for the LRA, and
to assist the Government of the Central African Republic in developing a strategy
and supporting activities to encourage defections from the LRA, address the
disarmament and demobilization of LRA escapees and defectors, and their
resettlement or repatriation to their countries of origin, within existing resources;
17. Urges all parties concerned to provide for unhindered humanitarian
access to populations in need; S/RES/2031 (2011)
11-64781 5
18. Welcomes the recent signature by the Armée Populaire pour la
Restauration de la Démocratie (APRD) and the CPJP of action plans to halt the
recruitment and use of children, calls on all remaining parties listed in the
Secretary-General’s report on children and armed conflict to follow suit as soon as
possible, welcomes the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General
on Children and Armed Conflict in the Central African Republic and encourages the
parties to continue engaging with her in this regard, calls on the international
community to support child reintegration efforts, and urges the Government of the
Central African Republic to continue to strengthen the protection of children,
including through the implementation of pertinent legislation and in the conduct of
military operations;
19. Expresses concern at persistent incidents of sexual and gender-based
violence, and encourages BINUCA to continue engaging with the Government of
the Central African Republic and other stakeholders, including the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General, to address these issues;
20. Urges the Government of the Central African Republic to investigate
reports of human rights violations in the country, to ensure that those who may be
responsible for such violations are brought to justice, and to take the necessary steps
to prevent further violations;
21. Encourages the Government of the Central African Republic to more
meaningfully engage the Bretton Woods institutions, especially the International
Monetary Fund, as their assistance is critical for the revitalization of the economy
and for the development of the country;
22. Encourages the Government of the Central African Republic, the
Peacebuilding Commission and its national and international partners to honour the
commitments made under the Strategic Framework for Peacebuilding, requests the
Peacebuilding Commission, with the support of BINUCA, to continue to assist the
Government in laying the foundations for sustainable peace and development in the
Central African Republic, including by ensuring that progress is made in the
enforcement of rule of law, and that peacebuilding objectives are fully taken into
account in the future strategic planning processes, and requests the Peacebuilding
Commission to provide advice to the Security Council on these issues;
23. Commends the Government of the Central African Republic for
launching its Second Generation Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP II), and
calls on the Government to prioritize its objectives, including those on access to
basic services and health care, food security, infrastructure and DDR as well as SSR,
and to tackle the issue of corruption, and enhance fiscal transparency;
24. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Topics
Central African Republic
Year
2011
Title
The situation in the Central African Republic
Related with resolutions
1265 1296 1325 1612 1674 1738 1820 1882 1888 1889 1960 1998
Quoted in resolutions
2088
Security Council Composition
CHN FRA RUS GBR USA BIH BRA COL DEU GAB IND LBN NGA PRT ZAF