S/RES/2262 (2016)
Security Council Distr.: General 27 January 2016
Resolution 2262 (2016) Adopted by the Security Council at its 7611th meeting, on 27 January 2016
The Security Council, Recalling its previous resolutions and statements on the Central African Republic (CAR), in particular resolutions 2121 (2013), 2127 (2013), 2134 (2014) 2149 (2014), 2181 (2014), 2196 (2015), 2212 (2015), 2217 (2015) as well as the Presidential Statements S/PRST/2014/28 of 18 December 2014 and S/PRST/2015/17 of 20 October 2015, Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the CAR, and recalling the importance of the principles of non-interference, good-neighbourliness and regional cooperation, Recalling that the Central African Republic bears the primary responsibility to protect all populations within its territory from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, Emphasizing that any sustainable solution to the crisis in the CAR should be CAR-owned, including the political and reconciliation process, and calling upon the Transitional Authorities to hold the legislative elections and the second round of the presidential election in a free, fair, transparent and inclusive manner, in order to end the transition by 31 March 2016, according with the agreed time frame, Calling upon all stakeholders, including the candidates in the presidential and legislative elections, to refrain from engaging in any activity which could hamper the electoral process and strongly encouraging them to abide by the electoral code of conduct and to resolve any disputes peacefully through the established institutions and legal procedures, Calling upon the elected authorities to urgently implement transparent and inclusive measures that allow for stabilization and reconciliation in the CAR, including to take concrete steps to restore the effective authority of the State over all of the territory of the CAR; to fight impunity by restoring administration of the judiciary and the criminal justice system, including the penitentiary system, throughout the country; to reform the CAR Armed Forces (FACA) and internal security forces in order to put in place multi-ethnic, professional, and republican security services through appropriate security sector reform processes; to carry out the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation (DDRR) of armed
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groups; and to establish a functioning public financial management in order to meet the expenses related to the functioning of the State, implement early recovery plans, and revitalize the economy, Commending the United Nations Integrated Multidimensional Mission in the CAR (MINUSCA) and the French forces for the ongoing work to help the Transitional authorities improve the security situation; noting also with concern, however, that while improving, security in the CAR remains fragile, Welcoming the work done by the European Union military advice mission based in Bangui (EUMAM-RCA), as requested by the CAR transitional authorities, in order to contribute to providing them with expert advice on reforming the CAR Armed Forces (FACA) into a multi-ethnic, professional, and republican security services, Calling upon the transitional authorities and subsequent elected authorities of the CAR to ensure that perpetrators of violations of applicable international law, including those committed against children and women, are excluded from the CAR security and armed forces, Welcoming the commitment of the Secretary-General to enforce strictly his zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, expressing grave concern over numerous allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse reportedly committed by peacekeepers in the CAR, stressing the urgent need for troop- and policecontributing countries and MINUSCA to promptly investigate those cases in a credible and transparent manner and to hold accountable those responsible for such criminal offenses or misconduct, and further stressing the need to prevent such exploitation and abuse and to improve how these allegations are addressed, Welcoming the United Nations Secretary-General Report of 30 November 2015 (S/2015/918) submitted pursuant to resolution 2217 (2015), Welcoming also the midterm update and the final report (S/2015/936) of the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013), expanded by resolution 2134 (2014) and extended pursuant to resolution 2196 (2015), and taking note of the Panel of Experts’ recommendations, Strongly condemning the upsurge of violence and instability in the Central African Republic (CAR), in particular in September and October 2015, and the threats of violence, human rights violations and abuses and international humanitarian law violations, including against women and children; the attacks against United Nations peacekeepers, international forces and humanitarian personnel; the continuous cycle of provocations and reprisals by armed groups, both inside and outside of Bangui and denial of humanitarian access, committed by armed elements, which continue to adversely affect the dire humanitarian situation faced by the civilian population and to impede humanitarian access to vulnerable populations, Reiterating that all perpetrators of such acts must be held accountable and that some of those acts may amount to crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), to which the CAR is a State party, noting in this regard the opening by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on 24 September 2014 of an investigation following the request of the national
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authorities on alleged crimes committed since 2012 and welcoming the ongoing cooperation by the CAR Transitional Authorities in this regard, Stressing the urgent and imperative need to end impunity in the CAR and to bring to justice perpetrators of violations of international humanitarian law and of violations or abuses of human rights, underlining in this regard the need to bolster national accountability mechanisms and to further implement without delay the 7 August 2014 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Urgent Temporary Measures, and the law promulgated in June 2015 to establish a national Special Criminal Court to investigate and prosecute serious crimes committed in the CAR, including by recruiting the necessary local and international staff, Emphasizing that those engaging in or providing support for acts that undermine undermining the peace, stability or security of the CAR, threatening or impeding the transition process, or the political stabilization and reconciliation process, targeting of civilians and attacking peacekeepers may meet criteria for designation under sanctions as stated in this resolution, Expressing grave concern at the findings of the Panel of Experts’ final report of 21 December 2015 (S/2015/936) that armed groups continue to destabilize the CAR and to pose a permanent threat to the peace, security and stability of the country, including through the establishment of illegitimate parallel administrations, Expressing concern that illicit trafficking, trade, exploitation and smuggling of natural resources including gold, diamonds and wildlife has a negative impact in the economy and the development of the country, and that it continues to threaten the peace and stability of CAR, Taking note of the Kimberley Process (KP) Administrative Decision on Resumption of Exports of Rough Diamonds from the CAR, its annexed Operational Framework, and the establishment of the KP Monitoring Team for CAR and recognizing the extraordinary efforts of the CAR transitional authorities and the KP, under the 2015 Chairmanship of Angola, to responsibly reintegrate CAR into the global diamond trade, Noting with concern the findings of the Panel of Experts’ final report that the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) remains active in the CAR, has established links to other armed groups and is generating revenues from the exploitation and trade of natural resources, including gold, diamonds and wildlife poaching, Noting with concern the ongoing transnational criminal activity in the region, emphasizing the risk of the situation in the CAR providing a conducive environment for further transnational criminal activity, such as that involving arms trafficking and the use of mercenaries as well as a potential breeding ground for radical networks, Acknowledging in this respect the important contribution the Councilmandated arms embargo can make to countering the illicit transfer of arms and related materiel in the CAR and its region, and in supporting post-conflict peacebuilding, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and security sector reform, recalling its resolutions 2117 (2013), 2127 (2013) and 2220 (2015) and expressing grave concern at the threat to peace and security in the CAR arising from the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, and the use of such weapons against civilians affected by armed conflict,
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Recalling the need for an inclusive and effective disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process (DDR) as well as repatriation and resettlement (DDRRR) in the case of foreign fighters, including children formerly associated with armed forces and groups, while respecting the need to fight impunity, Reiterating the importance of all member States’ full implementation of the measures set out in UNSCRs 2127 (2013), 2134 (2014), 2196 (2015) and this resolution, including the obligation to implement targeted sanctions against individuals and entities designated by the Sanctions Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) and underlining that individuals who knowingly facilitate the travel of a listed individual in violation of the travel ban may be determined by the Committee to have met the designation criteria for sanctions, Noting the critical importance of effective implementation of the sanctions regime, including the key role that neighbouring States, as well as regional and subregional organizations, can play in this regard and encouraging efforts to further enhance cooperation and implementation of the sanctions regime in all its aspects, Noting with concern the reports that sanctioned individuals are travelling in the region in violation of the travel ban, and underlining that individuals or entities who knowingly facilitate the travel of a sanctioned individual in violation of the travel ban may be determined by the Committee to have met the designation criteria for sanctions, Welcoming efforts by the Chair of the 2127 Sanctions Committee and the President of the Security Council to support and strengthen the implementation of the measures imposed pursuant to resolution 2196 (2015) through engagement with Member States, especially regional States, and welcoming in this regard the travel by the Chair and Committee members to the CAR in August 2015, Determining that the situation in the CAR continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region, Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
Arms embargo 1. Decides that, until 31 January 2017, all Member States shall continue to take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the CAR, from or through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare parts for the aforementioned, and technical assistance, training, financial or other assistance, related to military activities or the provision, maintenance or use of any arms and related materiel, including the provision of armed mercenary personnel whether or not originating in their territories, and decides further that this measure shall not apply to: (a) Supplies intended solely for the support of or use by MINUSCA, the African Union-Regional Task Force (AU-RTF), and the European Union Missions and French Forces deployed in the CAR; (b) Supplies of non-lethal equipment and provision of assistance, including operational and non-operational training to the CAR security forces, intended solely for support of or use in the CAR process of Security Sector Reform (SSR), in
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coordination with MINUSCA, and as notified in advance to the Committee, and requests MINUSCA to report on the contribution to SSR of this exemption, as part of its regular reports to the Council; (c) Supplies brought into the CAR by Chadian or Sudanese forces solely for their use in international patrols of the tripartite force established on 23 May 2011 in Khartoum by the CAR, Chad and Sudan, to enhance security in the common border areas, in cooperation with MINUSCA, as approved in advance by the Committee; (d) Supplies of non-lethal military equipment intended solely for humanitarian or protective use, and related technical assistance or training, as approved in advance by the Committee; (e) Protective clothing, including flak jackets and military helmets, temporarily exported to the CAR by United Nations personnel, representatives of the media and humanitarian and development workers and associated personnel, for their personal use only; (f) Supplies of small arms and other related equipment intended solely for use in international patrols providing security in the Sangha River Tri-national Protected Area to defend against poaching, smuggling of ivory and arms, and other activities contrary to the national laws of the CAR or the CAR’s international legal obligations, as notified in advance to the Committee; (g) Supplies of arms and other related lethal equipment to the CAR security forces, intended solely for support of or use in the CAR process of SSR, as approved in advance by the Committee; or (h) Other sales or supply of arms and related materiel, or provision of assistance or personnel, as approved in advance by the Committee; 2. Decides to authorize all Member States to, and that all Member States shall, upon discovery of items prohibited by paragraph 1 of this resolution, seize, register and dispose (such as through destruction, rendering inoperable, storage or transferring to a State other than the originating or destination States for disposal) items the supply, sale, transfer or export of which is prohibited by paragraph 1 of this resolution and decides further that all Member States shall cooperate in such efforts; 3. Reiterates its call upon the transitional authorities, and the subsequent elected authorities, with the assistance of MINUSCA and international partners, to address the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons in the CAR, and to ensure the collection and/or destruction of surplus, seized, unmarked, or illicitly held weapons and ammunition and further stresses the importance of incorporating such elements into SSR and DDRRR programmes; 4. Strongly encourages the CAR transitional authorities and subsequent elected authorities to increase their capacity, with the support of MINUSCA, UNMAS, and other international partners, to store and manage weapons and ammunition in their possession, including those transferred from MINUSCA stocks, according to international best practices and norms, while ensuring that the FACA and interior forces units receiving such weapons and ammunition are fully trained and vetted;
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Travel ban 5. Decides that, until 31 January 2017, all Member States shall continue to take the necessary measures to prevent the entry into or transit through their territories of individuals designated by the Committee, provided that nothing in this paragraph shall oblige a State to refuse its own nationals entry into its territory; 6. Decides that the measures imposed by paragraph 5 above shall not apply: (a) Where the Committee determines on a case-by-case basis that such travel is justified on the grounds of humanitarian need, including religious obligation; (b) Where entry or transit is necessary for the fulfilment of a judicial process; (c) Where the Committee determines on a case-by-case basis that an exemption would further the objectives of peace and national reconciliation in the CAR and stability in the region; 7. Emphasizes that violations of the travel ban can undermine the peace, stability or security of the CAR, observes that individuals who knowingly facilitate the travel of a listed individual in violation of the travel ban may be determined by the Committee to have met the designation criteria provided for in this resolution and calls upon all parties and all Member States to cooperate with the Committee as well as the Panel of Experts on the implementation of the travel ban;
Asset freeze 8. Decides that all Member States shall, until 31 January 2017, continue to freeze without delay all funds, other financial assets and economic resources which are on their territories, which are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the individuals or entities designated by the Committee, or by individuals or entities acting on their behalf or at their direction, or by entities owned or controlled by them, and decides further that all Member States shall continue to ensure that any funds, financial assets or economic resources are prevented from being made available by their nationals or by any individuals or entities within their territories, to or for the benefit of the individuals or entities designated by the Committee; 9. Decides that the measures imposed by paragraph 8 above do not apply to funds, other financial assets or economic resources that have been determined by relevant Member States: (a) To be necessary for basic expenses, including payment for foodstuffs, rent or mortgage, medicines and medical treatment, taxes, insurance premiums, and public utility charges or exclusively for payment of reasonable professional fees and reimbursement of incurred expenses associated with the provision of legal services in accordance with national laws, or fees or service charges, in accordance with national laws, for routine holding or maintenance of frozen funds, other financial assets and economic resources, after notification by the relevant State to the Committee of the intention to authorize, where appropriate, access to such funds, other financial assets or economic resources and in the absence of a negative decision by the Committee within five working days of such notification;
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(b) To be necessary for extraordinary expenses, provided that such determination has been notified by the relevant State or Member States to the Committee and has been approved by the Committee; or (c) To be the subject of a judicial, administrative or arbitral lien or judgment, in which case the funds, other financial assets and economic resources may be used to satisfy that lien or judgment provided that the lien or judgment was entered into prior to the date of the present resolution, is not for the benefit of a person or entity designated by the Committee, and has been notified by the relevant State or Member States to the Committee; 10. Decides that Member States may permit the addition to the accounts frozen pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 8 above of interests or other earnings due on those accounts or payments due under contracts, agreements or obligations that arose prior to the date on which those accounts became subject to the provisions of this resolution, provided that any such interest, other earnings and payments continue to be subject to these provisions and are frozen; 11. Decides that the measures in paragraph 8 above shall not prevent a designated person or entity from making payment due under a contract entered into prior to the listing of such a person or entity, provided that the relevant States have determined that the payment is not directly or indirectly received by a person or entity designated pursuant to paragraph 8 above, and after notification by the relevant States to the Committee of the intention to make or receive such payments or to authorize, where appropriate, the unfreezing of funds, other financial assets or economic resources for this purpose, 10 working days prior to such authorization;
Designation criteria 12. Decides that the measures contained in paragraphs 5 and 8 shall apply to the individuals and entities designated by the Committee as engaging in or providing support for acts that undermine the peace, stability or security of the CAR, including acts that threaten or impede the political transition process, or the stabilization and reconciliation process or that fuel violence; 13. Further decides in this regard that the measures contained in paragraphs 5 and 8 shall also apply to the individuals and entities designated by the Committee as: (a) Acting in violation of the arms embargo established in paragraph 54 of resolution 2127 (2013) and extended by paragraph 1 of this resolution, or as having directly or indirectly supplied, sold, or transferred to armed groups or criminal networks in CAR, or as having been the recipient of arms or any related materiel, or any technical advice, training, or assistance, including financing and financial assistance, related to violent activities of armed groups or criminal networks in CAR; (b) Involved in planning, directing, or committing acts that violate international human rights law or international humanitarian law, as applicable, or that constitute human rights abuses or violations, in the CAR, including acts involving sexual violence, targeting of civilians, ethnic- or religious-based attacks, attacks on schools and hospitals, and abduction and forced displacement;
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(c) Recruiting or using children in armed conflict in the CAR, in violation of applicable international law; (d) Providing support for armed groups or criminal networks through the illicit exploitation or trade of natural resources, including diamonds, gold, wildlife as well as wildlife products in or from the CAR; (e) Obstructing the delivery of humanitarian assistance to CAR, or access to, or distribution of, humanitarian assistance in CAR; (f) Involved in planning, directing, sponsoring, or conducting attacks against UN missions or international security presences, including MINUSCA, the European Union Missions and French operations which support them; (g) Being leaders of an entity that the Committee has designated pursuant to paragraphs 36 or 37 of resolution 2134 (2014) or this resolution, or having provided support to, or acted for or on behalf of, or at the direction of, an individual or an entity that the Committee has designated pursuant to paragraphs 36 or 37 of resolution 2134 (2014) or this resolution, or an entity owned or controlled by a designated individual or entity; 14. Welcomes measures taken by Member States of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) to implement the Regional Initiative against Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources as endorsed in the 2010 Lusaka Declaration, including promoting the use by economic actors of Due Diligence Frameworks such as the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas, and encourages all States, particularly those in the region, to continue to raise awareness of the due diligence guidelines;
Sanctions Committee 15. Decides that the mandate of the Committee established pursuant to paragraph 57 of resolution 2127 (2013) shall apply with respect to the measures imposed in paragraphs 54 and 55 of resolution 2127 (2013) and paragraphs 30 and 32 of resolution 2134 (2014) extended by this resolution; 16. Emphasizes the importance of holding regular consultations with concerned Member States, international and regional and subregional organizations, as may be necessary, in particular neighbouring and regional States, in order to ensure full implementation of the measures renewed by this resolution, and in that regard encourages the Committee to consider, where and when appropriate, visits to selected countries by the Chair and/or Committee members; 17. Requests the Committee to identify possible cases of non-compliance with the measures pursuant to paragraphs 1, 2, 5 and 8 above and to determine the appropriate course of action on each case, and requests the Chair, in regular reports to the Council pursuant to paragraph 31 below, to provide progress reports on the Committee’s work on this issue; 18. Recognizes the KP’s decision that CAR may resume trade in rough diamonds from “compliant zones” established under conditions set forth by the KP, notes that the KP intends to keep the Security Council, the Committee and its Panel of Experts, and MINUSCA informed of its decisions and, thereby, requests the KP Chair of the Working Group on Monitoring to periodically update the Committee on
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the work of the KP CAR Monitoring Team, including any decisions on areas designated as “compliant zones” and decisions related to the trade of the stockpiles of rough diamonds held in CAR; 19. Calls for enhanced vigilance from trading centres and States in the region to support the CAR transitional authorities’ efforts to re-establish legitimate trade and benefit from its natural resources; and commends CAR for taking special measures to enhance traceability of diamonds from compliant zones so that diamonds are not used for the benefit of armed groups or to destabilize CAR; 20. Encourages the KP to resolve the issue of the diamond stockpiles in cooperation with the CAR authorities and in consultation with the Panel of Experts;
Panel of Experts 21. Expresses its full support for the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic established pursuant to paragraph 59 of resolution 2127 (2013); 22. Decides to extend the mandate of the Panel of Experts until 28 February 2017 and, expresses its intent to review the mandate and take appropriate action regarding further extension no later than 31 January 2017 and requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary administrative measures as expeditiously as possible to support its action; 23. Decides that the mandate of the Panel of Experts shall include the following tasks, to: (a) Assist the Committee in carrying out its mandate as specified in this resolution, including through providing the Committee with information relevant to the potential designation at a later stage of individuals or entities who may be engaging in the activities described in paragraphs 12 and 13 above; (b) Gather, examine and analyse information from States, relevant United Nations bodies, regional organizations and other interested parties regarding the implementation of the measures decided in this resolution, in particular incidents of non-compliance, including to facilitate, upon request by Member States, assistance on capacity-building; (c) Provide to the Committee a midterm report no later than 30 July 2016 and a final report to the Security Council, after discussion with the Committee, by 31 December 2016 on the implementation of the measures imposed by paragraphs 54 and 55 of resolution 2127 (2013) and paragraphs 30 and 32 of resolution 2134 (2014) renewed by paragraphs 1, 2, 5 and 8 of this resolution; (d) Submit progress updates to the Committee, especially in situations of urgency, or as the Panel deems necessary; (e) Assist the Committee in refining and updating information on the list of individuals and entities designated by the Committee pursuant to the criteria renewed by paragraphs 11 and 12 above including through the provision of biometric information and additional information for the publicly available narrative summary of reasons for listing; (f) Assist the Committee by providing information regarding individuals and entities that may meet the designation criteria in paragraphs 11 and 12 above, including by reporting such information to the Committee, as it becomes available,
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and to include in its formal written reports, the names of potential designees, appropriate identifying information, and relevant information regarding why the individual or entity may meet the designation criteria in paragraphs 11 and 12 above; (g) Cooperate with the KP CAR Monitoring Team to support the resumption of exports of rough diamonds from CAR and report to the Committee if the resumption of trade is destabilizing CAR or benefiting armed groups; 24. Calls upon the Panel of Experts to cooperate actively with other Panels or Groups of Experts established by the Security Council, as relevant to the implementation of their mandate; 25. Expresses particular concern about reports of illicit trafficking networks which continue to fund and supply armed groups in the CAR, and encourages the Panel, in the course of carrying out its mandate, to devote special attention to the analysis of such networks; 26. Urges the CAR, its neighbouring States and other member States of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) to cooperate at the regional level to investigate and combat regional criminal networks and armed groups involved in the illegal exploitation and smuggling of natural resources including gold, diamonds and wildlife poaching and trafficking; 27. Urges all parties, and all Member States, as well as international, regional and subregional organizations to ensure cooperation with the Panel of Experts and the safety of its members; 28. Further urges all Member States and all relevant United Nations bodies to ensure unhindered access, in particular to persons, documents and sites in order for the Panel of Experts to execute its mandate; 29. Requests the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and the Special Representative for Sexual Violence in Conflict to continue sharing relevant information with the Committee in accordance with paragraph 7 of resolution 1960 (2010) and paragraph 9 of resolution 1998 (2011);
Reporting and review 30. Calls upon all States, particularly those in the region and those in which designated individuals and entities designated are based, to actively implement the measures contained in this resolution and to regularly report to the Committee on the actions they have taken to implement the measures imposed by paragraphs 54 and 55 of resolution 2127 (2013) and paragraphs 30 and 32 of resolution 2134 (2014) renewed by paragraphs 1, 2, 5 and 8 of this resolution; 31. Requests the Committee to report orally, through its Chair, at least once per year to the Council, on the state of the overall work of the Committee, including alongside the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the CAR on the situation in the CAR as appropriate, and encourages the Chair to hold regular briefings for all interested Member States; 32. Affirms that it shall keep the situation in the CAR under continuous review and that it shall be prepared to review the appropriateness of the measures
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contained in this resolution, including the strengthening through additional measures, in particular the freezing of assets, modification, suspension or lifting of the measures, as may be needed at any time in light of the progress achieved in the stabilization of the country and compliance with this resolution; 33. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
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